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A Tragedy  of  the  Christ 


“ A Love-Life  of  the  Lord  ” 

“Jesus  of  Nazareth  and 
Mary  of  Bethany” 

“God  Is”  and  a Treatise 
on  “Finite  Conciousness” 


POEMS 

Mental  Metempsychosis 
and  Other  Poems 


FRANCIS  WARREN  JACOBS 

-Price  $2.50  — ■— 


Copyrighted  A.  O.  1911 
By  FRANCIS  WARREN  JACOBS 


2>eMcatfon 


©ebicateb  bg  tbc  author  to  bis 
Oaugbter  Ifrene  Jacobs 
df.  dZH.  Jacobs 


250566 


By  transfer 
The  White  House 
March  3rd,  19!^ 


INDEX 


A Dream  of  Life 103 

Along  the  Cimarron  158 

An  Afterword  243 

An  Unbelief  102 

Antithesis  of  Life  129 

Arrow  of  Arapahoe  164 

A Soldier’s  Dream  144 

A Tear  or  Blood  of  Joy  91 

Conqueror  91 

Consciousness  :: 205 

Divinest  Thing  118 

Dying  Memmon  162 

Fate  ...... 90 

Foolish  Rhyme  142 

God  is — Immortality  is  a Fact  188 

God’s  Smile  82 

Goodbye,  Strange  World,  Goodbye  151 

Ideial  Presence  112 

Idyl  of  the  True  155 

I Know  Not  But  of  Myself  241 

Introduction  11 

Invasion  136 

Irene  109 

Iteration  86 

Judas  180 

Kokogee  113 

Love  120 

Love  Life  of  Christ  and  Mary  of  Bethany  13 

Man’s  Glory  83 

Mary  of  Bethlehem  168 

Mental  Metempsychosis  66 

Mocking  Birds  154 

Moods  of  Mercy  106 

My  Dream  Face  114 

My  Isle  95 

My  Own  World  89 

Mystic  Dove  126 

Night,  Night  65 


6 


INDEX 


Oklahomia  . 179 

Old  Man  It's  True  - 125 

Our  Child  145 

Pardon  . 90 

Passion  . - 163 

Pome  133 

Preface  .. ~ 5 

Rhyme  To  All  92 

Roosevelt’s  Dam  150 

Self  Alone  134 

Silence’s  Dream  146 

Sonigs  116 

Song  We  Never  Sing  123 

Soul  Questions  . 93 

The  Apostate  175 

The  Dream  139 

The  Indian  in  Court  183 

The  Music  of  Santa  Cruz  149 

The  Mystery  of  Woe  160 

The  Night  . 152 

Theos  85 

The  Song  of  Eighty-nine  170 

The  Sword  at  the  Gate  —.——l 98 

To  Helen  Hunt  Jackson  117 

To  Myself  ... 96 

To  Oklahoma  88 

To  the  Poets  143 

True  Irish  Hearts  162 

Unseen  : 88 

Venus  119 

Vicissitudes  14*5 

Voice  of  Kissing  128 

Wold  of  Soul  vs.  Wold  of  the  Man  100 

Xmas  Trenody  104 


PREFACE 


HAVE,  after  careful  study,  been  unable  to  discover 
a certain  or  definite  doctrine  pervading  the  lit- 
erature  of  my  time.  Pretention  ? Yes — but  sub- 
stance? Ho. 


Ho  new  matter  concerning  the  Christ  has  been  of- 
fered. The  story  of  the  Magdalene  and  Jesus,  by 
Maeterlinck,  is  old.  And  it  is  not  engaging  the  more 
because,  in  the  woof  is  sewn  the  story  of  a supposed 
Roman  method  of  love.  “The  Tale  of  the  Christ,”  by 
Wallace,  is  so  contradictory  of  modem  verified  sense 
of  nature,  that  had  the  time  anything  better,  it  would 
lose  vogue,  The  acting  history  of  the  “Passion  Play” 
of  Oberammergau  is  no  better  than  burlesque.  I there- 
fore offer  that  which  has  not  heretofore  been  uncovered. 
From  the  shadows  of  the  past  I bring  a tragedy  of  the 
Christ  that  is  entirely  unknown  to  literature.  I herein 
present  for  the  first  time  the  true  story  of  Jesus  and 
Mary  of  Bethany — the  Mary  who  was  the  earth  friend 
of  Christ.  I affirm  that  all  the  stories  heretofore  con- 
cerning the  “Master-Man”  in  relation  to  a Mary  have 


8 


PREFACE. 


been  wrong.  The  Mary  is  of  Bethany  and  not  the  Mary 
of  Magdala. 

I also  give  that  which  has  not  been  offered  before 
as  proof  of  the  knowability  of  the  Infinite  in  “GOD 
IS”  with  a small  treatise  on  consciousness. 

The  Poems  here  published  are  the  embodiment  oi 
doctrine.  And  I attempt  to  ignore  criticism.  Por  the 
very  reason  that  canons  of  criticism  are  grown  from 
Masters  in  the  art.  If  criticism  is  to  prevail  over  just 
effort  to  advance,  Farewell  Poetry.  In  the  past  a few 
with  sense  of  melody  held  the  key  to  fame.  Not  so 
now.  Poetry  is  expressed  in  an  artificial  language  and 
belongs  to  no  special  classification  of  subjects;  nor  to 
a line  of  given  stanzas. 

“The  Apostate”  is  offered  as  an  exposition  of  the 
IDEA  that  a man  or  men  can  not  effect  the  death  of 
GOD : and  that  out  of  Divine  Providence  those  per- 
sons involved  can  not  be  supposed  to  be  criminals. 

“The  Indian  in  Court”  is  but  a farther  conten- 
tion for  the  inner  Urge  in  its  supremacy;  that  less 
error  is  liable  to  occur  following  natural  methods  and 
rules  as  little  effected  by  ancient  creeds  that  arose  out 


PREFACE. 


9 


of  conditions  widely  removed  from  any  possible  as- 
sumption of  this  time. 

At  last  it  will  be  discovered  that  the  Author  would 
not  have  the  influence  of  the  west  perish. 

With  the  very  best  of  company  I now  introduce  you. 


THE  AUTHOR. 


INTRODUCTION 


fHE  human  race  being  both  a Genus  and  a 
Specie,  if  a greater  power  than  the  race  were 
to  invade  it  with  a variation,  that  act  would 
not  be  a miracle,  but  a violence  and  an  outrage. 

Celibacy  was  not  a law  nor  a respected  rule  in  J udea 
in  the  time  of  Christ.  The  priests  were  men  of  fam- 
ilies; they  had  to  be  heads  of  families  to  become  mem- 
bers of  the  Sanhedrim. 

Christ  was  not  born  a priest.  He  had  a putative 
father.  Therefore  had  no  right  to  officiate  in  the 
temple. 

His  associates  were,  of  course,  as  always  the  case, 
those  of  the  same  lowly  character. 

The  great  man,  however,  in  a sphere — a scope,  fences 
man  today.  The  dead  hands  of  the  past  hold  us  back 
from  a sensible  invasion  of  the  past.  The  future 
frowns  on  us  as  we  would  go  forward. 

So  I find  it  necessary,  that  I a stranger  to  the  world 


12 


INTRODUCTION. 


of  letters  should  write  a small  book  of  questionings 
concerning  an  old  story — a story  that  has  much  to  do 
with  the  life  of  today. 

The  little  book  is  named  “Jesus  and  Mary.” 

CONTENTS. 

“The  man  and  the  woman — ” 

“Outcasts  of  the  civil  law — ” 

“Debased  by  the  Sanhedrim — ” 

“Love  life  the  life  of  them — ” 

“And  ye  shall  know  the  truth — ” 

“She  hath  done  what  she  could — ” 

“Wheresoever  this  gospel  shall  be  preached  through- 
out the  whole  world,  also  that  ‘she  hath  done*  shall  be 
spoken  of  as  a memorial  of  her.” 

That  the  prophesy  shall  not  perish  on  his  human 
lips,  I am  become  the  Mans*  Evangelist.  Because 
Mary  of  Bethany  stands  fronting  the  world  today  with 
blood  from  the  feet  of  the  Christ  on~her  lips. 

THE  AUTHOR, 

F.  W.  JACOBS, 

December,  A.  D.  1909.  Sapulpa,  Oklahoma,  U.  S.  A. 


CHAPTER  ONE. 


THE  MEETING. 

JT  was  sundown  of  a summer  day  near  two  .thous- 
and years  ago  in  the  land  of  the  Jews,  in  a small 
village  called  Nain  (beauty)  at  the  house  of  a 
a Pharisee  when  a woman,  who  was  a sinner,  called 
Mary,  met  a man  called  Jesus,  since  called  The  Lord. 

This  woman  was  a Jewess.  'She  had  not  lived  as 
most  Jew  women  lived;  she  was  about  twenty  years 
old  and  was  already  a sinner.  That  means  she  was 
not  a woman  of  a family  but  was  a woman  of  the  city, 
a public  character. 

Mary  was  a visitor  of  Capernaum  and  Nain.  It  was 
at  Capernaum  that  she  first  saw  the  master  man.  Like 
all  of  her  kind,  Mary  was  impulsive  and  warm  hearted. 
She  was  very  beautiful;  of  dark  complexion  with  large 
brown  eyes  in  whose  depths  was  the  mystery  of  Israel; 
her  hair,  a midnight  flown  with  storm;  and  cheeks 
white  as  the  pale  moonlight  that  fell  on  her  silver 
sandals  as  she  walked  at  night  the  streets  of  the  city; 
a form  of  eastern  training;  a lure  of  loveliness.  Sin 


14 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


had  not  yet  abused  her  features.  Her  red  lips  were 
full  of  tears  and  life;  passionate  and  glorious  in  her 
physical  health.  Such  was  Mary  whose  home  was  in 
Bethany  in  Judea. 

At  this  home  lived  an  elder  sister,  Martha,  and  a 
brother  called  Lazarus.  Here,  when  tired  of  tramp- 
ing the  streets  of  the  cities,  asking  ill  of  man,  Mary 
would  rest.  Being  the  fairest  woman  of  the  surround- 
ing country,  she  was  very  successful  in  her  way  with 
men.  They  liked  Mary  and  permitted  her  to  go  about 
the  streets  of  the  cities  at  all  times  of  day  and  night, 
a privilege  given  to  no  others.  She  always  had  money 
and  was  a spendthrift.  Nothing  she  desired  was  be- 
yond her  power  to  obtain.  She  was  the  best  dressed 
woman  to  be  seen  at  the  public  gatherings.  She  wore 
white  sandals  and  a white  robe  laced  about  her  lithe 
body  and  hung  in  folds  around  her  supple  limbs,  part- 
ing at  the  knee,  adorned  with  trinkets  in  which  were 
hidden  bells;  about  her  ankles  she  wore  rings  of  beaten 
gold;  her  wrists  and  fingers  blazed,  set  about  with  gems 
of  precious  stones;  fallen  in  chaos  of  glory,  her  glossy 
hair  in-woven  with  purple  silk,  the  irridescent  life  of 
worms,  crowned  ample  shoulders  fair  as  dreams  and 
dimpled  by  the  unseen  touch  of  feminine  desire.  But 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


15 


her  first  and  most  engrossing  charms  were  her  eyes. 
Here  looked  out  a wounded  spirit,  a spirit  mad  with 
defeated  desire.  The  doors  of  society  were  closed  to 
her  and  all  respected  ways  of  living  were  buried  in  her 
youthful  dreams,  but  she  longed  for  escape.  She 
longed  for  love  that  was  pure.  Her  weary  head  ached 
for  a resting  place  where  loyal  living  loomed  to  the 
maids  of  Israel,  a perfect  heaven.  With  no  excuse  for 
hypocrisy,  she  had  nothing  to  do  but  simply  be  natural. 

With  watchful  eyes  for  times  when  the  cities  would 
be  thronged,  Mary  noticed  a movement  of  many  toward 
Capernaum,  and  as  was  her  custom  on  such  occasions, 
she  prepared  herself  in  all  her  apparel  and  appeared 
on  the  streets,  a very  enticing  figure  she  was.  About 
her  men  gathered  laughing  and  joking  with  the  beauti- 
ful girl  from  Bethany.  Hone  were  rude  to  her.  That 
would  not  have  been  tolerated,  but  as  those  dark-haired 
men  fondled  her  and  gave  her  many  a chuck  under  the 
chin,  Mary  became  tired  of  it  and  only  followed  her 
trade  because  she  knew  of  nothing  else  to  do.  So  tired 
was  she  of  the  ways  of  men  that  she  had  not  asked  the 
cause  of  so  many  people  gathered  in  the  city.  It  simply 
meant  to  her  one  more  crowd  of  men  and  one  more  op- 
portunity to  delight  herself  in  dress  and  hear  the  dis- 


16 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


gusting  pet  phrases  of  the  leering.  A young  Greek 
led  her  farther  from  the  street  to  a covert  and  a sitting 
place.  Here  this  Gentile  was  telling  Mary  of  the  glory 
of  the  women  of  his  country,  how  liberal  they  were  of 
their  affections,  that  beauty  was  the  glory  of  the  Greek 
form;  that  eyes  as  blue  as  the  sky  were  loved  by  men 
of  his  great  city;  that  he  liked  dark  eyes  like  she  had; 
that  heT  lips  full  of  unspent  passion  appealed  to  him 
and  he  pressed  her  cheeks  to  his  fevered  face,  pulled 
her  glorious  hair  about  his  neck,  then  kissed  her.  They 
were  going  to  a house  that  Mary  kept  and  as  they 
stepped  out  of  the  hiding,  a crowd  of  jeering  fellows 
came  up  where  they  stood,  talking  about  a crowd  far- 
ther down  the  street,  and  of  the  manner  of  one  who 
was  talking  a strange  doctrine. 

The  young  Greek  wanted  to  go  with  Mary  to  the 
house,  but  Mary  when  she  heard  of  a peculiar  man  in 
the  city  wanted  to  see  him  and  had  her  way  about  it. 
Hand  in  hand  they  walked  down  the  street  to  where 
a number  of  men  were  listening  to  a man  seemingly 
not  a Hebrew,  yet  he  was  speaking  in  that  tongue. 
The  stars  and  moon  shone  brightly  overhead.  The 
pale  light  fell  on  the  speaker’s  face  revealing  a coun- 
tenance at  once  striking  in  peculiar  beauty ; a face  that 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


17 


at  once  fascinated  Mary.  She  left  the  Greek  and  at 
once  pushed  into  the  crowd  up  near  the  speaker’s  side. 
Up  to  this  time  she  had  not  been  able  to  hear  what  he 
said,  but  now  he  was  speaking  louder  and  seemingly 
getting  more  in  earnest.  He  was  saying:  “And  as  ye 
would  that  men  should  do  to  you  do  ye  also  to  them 
likewise.”  “Judge  not  and  ye  shall  not  be  judged.” 
“Condemn  not  and  ye  shall  not  be  condemned.”  “For- 
give and  ye  shall  be  forgiven.”  “Give  and  it  shall  be 
given  unto  you;  good  measure,  pressed  down  and  shak- 
en together,  and  running  over  shall  men  give  into 
your  bosom.”  Such  words  she  had  never  heard  before. 
How  sweet  were  the  charm  of  the  words  as  they  reached 
her  ears.  She  wondered  if  those  words  could  be  only 
for  the  rich  and  the  people  of  the  temple,  the  priests, 
and  all  who  could  buy  an  offering.  Then  he  said, 
“'Whosoever  looketh  on  a woman  to  lust  after  her  hath 
committed  adultery  with  her  already  in  his  heart.” 
Then  Mary  knew  that  the  words  were  for  her,  for  only 
that  day  more  than  one  priest  had  said  out  of  his  eyes 
to  her  that  he  was  a sinner,  if  what  the  speaker  said 
was  true.  Again  she  heard  him  say,  “Blessed  be  ye 
poor,  for  yours  is  the  kingdom  of  God.”  At  this  a 
great  noise  was  made;  the  men  laughed  loudly  at  such 


18 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


doctrine.  The  poor  claiming  the  kingdom  of  God? 
Such  a thing  was  not  to  be  heard  by  reasonable  folk 
and,  jeering  the  speaker,  the  crowd  dispersed.  Mary 
spoke  to  the  stranger  but  he  paid  no  heed  to  her,  as 
she  thought  he  seemed  to  know  her  desire  with  him. 

Soon  Mary  was  alone  on  the  streets,  only  the  watch- 
man hailed  her.  Once  she  wondered  where  the  Greek 
had  gone  but  she  sought  no  one,  her  heart  had  found 
company.  At  last  in  her  life  had  come  a message  pleas- 
ing to  her;  it  was  not  like  the  labored  readings  of  the 
priests  she  used  to  hear  in  the  temple.  The  lights  of 
the  sky  shone  around  her  and  all  seemed  fair 
to  look  upon.  “That  man  should  give  full  measure 
into  her  bosom  and  that  the  poor  shall  have  the  king- 
dom of  God,”  made  the  whole  city  seem  differently 
than  she  had  noticed  it  before.  Through  the  night  she 
wandered  about,  when  the  light  of  the  stars  went  out 
and  the  dew  fell  on  her  hair  she  took  no  notice  of  these. 
The  beaten  gold  on  her  knees  and  purple  in  her  hair 
and  the  rings  that  had  the  little  bells  to  them,  shown 
in  the  sun  that  crept  down  the  sides  of  the  walls  ot 
the  city,  but  somehow  now,  Mary  was  not  so  careful 
of  them.  She  sought  the  place  where  the  stranger  had 
stood  and  -saw  him  come  out  of  a publican’s  house. 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


19 


She  wondered  in  her  heart  if  he  had  slept  there.  Any- 
way she  followed  after  him  for  she  had  nothing  else 
to  do.  He  was  going  out  to  Nam  and  here  Mary  had 
friends.  This  village  was  one  of  her  regular  places  of 
resort. 

Many  times  through  the  day  Mary  tried  to  talk  to 
the  strange  man  but  he  was  too  busy,  but  not  too  busy 
to  take  notice  of  the  woman  and  to  note  her  beauty; 
her  rich  young  life;  above  all,  her  intense  young  spirit. 
How  good  she  was  in  all  her  womanly  loveliness  and 
good  to  look  upon;  a marvel  of  her  sex.  He,  of  course, 
knew  from  her  apparel  that  she  was  in  the  eyes  of  the 
people,  a jeweled  woman  of  the  city,  an  harlot,  but  this 
indifference  could  not  be  laid  to  this  cause  for  he  was 
addressing  such  women  on  the  way.  Mary  noticed  this, 
and  was  not  slow  to  reach  the  conclusion  that  this  man 
had  singled  her  out  from  the  other  women  of  her  sort, 
because  she  had  more  than  they  of  raiment  and  gold. 
She  could  not  give  up,  and  every  time  she  could,  made 
effort  to  hold  conversation  with  him  or  with  those  who 
were  with  him,  for  a ragged  lot  followed  after.  Some 
on  very  friendly  terms  as  it  seemed  to  Mary.  At  every 
village  the  man  would  preach.  She  would  get  as  close 
as  she  could  for  the  crowds,  and  drink  in  his  wonder- 


20 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


ful  words.  It  was  near  sundown  before  they  reached 
Nam.  The  man  did  not  go  at  once  into  the  village 
but  turned  aside  to  camp  for  supper.  Mary  was  not 
so  bold  as  she  had  been.  Something  within  her  seemed 
to  tell  her  that  this  man  was  so  different  from  others; 
that  he  was  a master  man;  one  not  to  be  ensnared  by 
the  ways  of  the  people  about  him,  so  she  left  him  and 
his  party  and  went  into  the  village  for  her  house  was 
prepared  for  her  coming. 

After  supper,  as  was  the  habit  of  that  people  when 
something  of  question  was  to  be  spoken,  the  folk  gath- 
ered on  the  streets.  They  had  not  long  to  wait.  Soon 
the  looked-for  evangelist  appeared.  About  this  time 
he  was  thirty  years  old;  he  was  not  as  other  Hebrews 
with  dark  hair  and  eyes;  his  eyes  were  as  azure  as  the 
Judean  skies;  his  hair  was  auburn,  his  beard  as  soft, 
and  gentle  was  his  countenance.  A beautiful  man  to 
behold  and  lovely  to  women’s  eyes.  He  dressed  very 
plainly,  so  that  one  could  very  easily  tell  the  class  to 
which  he  belonged.  Sincerity  marked  lines  on  his  hon- 
est face.  One  thing  about  him  that  every  one  noticed 
was  the  look  of  his  eyes.  He  looked  straight  into  the 
faces  of  the  people  and  made  no  difference  of  any  one 
to  whom  he  paid  address.  On  this  occasion  he  was 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


21 


dressed  as  a fisherman.  A loose,  rough  garment  that 
fastened  on  the  shoulder  with  a cord  at  the  waist,  laced 
together  in  front  at  the  knees,  was,  with  the  exception 
of  poor  sandals,  what  he  wore.  He  had  no  covering 
for  his  head  and  his  arms  were  bare.  His  hair  parted 
in  the  middle,  hung  far  down  his  back  and  curled. 
His  features  were  regular  but  his  forehead  was  high. 
It  was  easily  discernible  that  he  was  intense;  that  he 
was  of  poetic  temperament.  He  was  of  medium  stat- 
ure, yet  he  seemed  to  be  very  strong.  There  was  that 
about  him  to  be  found  in  no  other  man ; he  was  plainly 
an  individual  and  alive  within  himself. 

All  this  day  the  man  had  been  preaching  the  “inner 
doctrine,”  the  doctrine  of  “spiritual  dominance  of 
self,”  and  looking  far  beyond  the  old  covenant  of  his 
people,  had  seen  the  world  lacking  of  that  individual 
expression  necessary  to  give  character  and  dignity  to 
the  children  of  Jehovah,  had  preached  a new  sermon 
to  the  world.  He  demanded  the  exaltation  of  the  poor ; 
he  had  gone  even  farther  than  this : He  had  condemned 
the  rich  and  those  in  authority.  It  was  so  hard  to 
get  the  poor  to  love  and  think  well  of  themselves;  to 
think  of  the  equality  of  man  because  all  have  one 
Father,  that  it  wearied  him.  He  saw  men  in  the  like- 


22 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


ness  of  God  and  his  spiritual  offspring  cower  before 
their  kind  and  cowardly  submit  to  abuse ; yea,  willingly 
submit  to  distinctions  those  in  authority  made.  He 
heard  those  who  so  abused  the  very  God  they  pretended 
to  represent,  slander  that  God’s  kind  on  earth.  He  saw 
the  priests  look  down  on  the  lowly  and  the  toiling  ones. 
It  made  the  sweat  of  the  carpenter  shop  stand  out  on 
his  face;  for  he  had  in  former  years  worked  at  a trade. 
Wow  here  was  gathered  about  him  a people  that  needed 
him,  yet  they  would  scoff  his  message  for  them. 

It  was  in  the  spirit  that  such  an  experience  would 
engender  in  one  of  us,  that  he  stood  up  to  speak.  Al- 
most at  the  beginning  he  told  the  people  standing  by 
him  there  in  the  moonlight  on  the  narrow  walks  and 
leaning  against  the  rude  houses,  “But  Pharisees  and 
Lawyers  rejected  the  counsel  of  God.?>  These  were  the 
highest  in  authority;  in  doctrine,  in  honor.  His  bold- 
ness won  some  of  the  people  over  to  him.  Then  he 
spake  of  himself  saying,  “The  Son  of  man  is  come  eat- 
ing and  drinking ; and  ye  say  behold ! a gluttonous  man, 
and  a wine  bibber,  a friend  of  publicans  and  sinners.” 
“But  wisdom  is  justified  of  all  her  children.” 

Mary  had  been  watching  him  from  the  beginning  of 


JESUS  AND  MART. 


23 


his  speech.  A strange  light  shone  in  her  eyes.  New 
thoughts  were  making  fast  a new  world  for  her.  No 
longer  did  the  temple  seem  so  grand  nor  its  worship 
necessary.  Out  under  the  stars  and  the  beautiful  calm 
canopy  with  this  man  was  the  way  to  the  heart  of  life, 
abundant  life  of  life.  Her  heart  was  full  of  him.  So 
completely  did  his  presence  inhabit  her  that  she  ran 
away  from  him,  let  loose  her  hair  and  rent  her  robes 
while  she  danced  a wild  dance  that  she  learned  from 
an  Egyptian  girl  in  the  city.  A friend  found  her  thus 
and  the  spirit  of  the  new  life  was  in  them  both  and 
there  under  the  great,  high  sky  thick  with  the  light 
they  danced  a new  dance  in  a new  life  for  they  both 
loved  the  man.  When  these  women  came  back  to  the 
streets  the  crowd  was  dispersed  and  they  separated. 

Mary  always  carried  a box  of  ointment  of  sweet  per- 
fume, that  she  would  be  a sweet  savor  to  those  whom 
she  should  approach.  In  an  ivory  box  of  rare  make 
she  had  on  this  night  a supply  of  spiknard,  a kind 
much  prized  by  the  Hebrew  women.  With  this  box  in 
her  hand  she  approached  the  man  as  he  sat  at  supper 
in  a Pharisee  house.  Mary  had  no  welcome  in  that 
house.  Well  she  knew  it,  but  was  not  the  man  there 
who  preached  that  all  were  his  friends.  She  could  not 


24 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


speak  in  the  house;  the  women  of  the  home  were  there 
and  custom  forbade,  but  her  spirit  was  wild  with  love 
of  a kind  she  had  never  felt  before.  So  she  stood  be- 
hind the  man  and  broke  the  box  of  spiknard  on  his 

head  and  feet.  As  she  did  this  a wave  of  love  swept 

her  beyond  control  and  she  wept  on  his  hair  and  her 

tears  ran  down  on  his  feet,  then  her  warm  red  lips 

kissed  them.  About  his  limbs  she  flung  the  wealth  of 
her  midnight  hair;  then  she  knelt  before  the  man  with 
bowed  head,  waiting  for  some  word  from  him,  but  he 
spake  not.  When  she  sprang  up  before  him  and  moved 
in  her  rhymthic  motion,  musically  repeating  Israel's 
song  of  girlhood  love:  “My  beloved  is  mine  and  I am 
his,  he  feedeth  among  the  lillies.  The  watchman  that 
go  about  found  me  to  whom  I said,  ‘Saw  ye  him  whom 
my  soul  loveth  ?’  It  was  but  a little  that  I passed  from 
them,  but  I found  him  whom  my  soul  loveth;  I 
held  him  and  would  not  let  him  go,  until  I had 
brought  him  into  my  mother's  house  and  into  the 
chamber  of  her  that  conceived  me."  Then  the  man 
stood  up  and  put  his  finger  on  her  lips,  saying,  “Peace, 
Peace." 

Some  present  reproved  the  woman  and  the  man  for 
permitting  such  lavish  of  expense  and  affection  by  the 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


25 


girl,  but  the  man  stoutly  defended  her  and  said,  “Let 
her  alone.  She  hath  done  a good  deed  on  me/*  Then 
turning  to  Mary,  Jesus  said,  “Go  in  peace/*  And  she 
understood  and  went  out  and  stood  by  the  door  and 
waited  until  the  man,  she  now  knew,  came  out  to  her. 

She  was  not  in  waiting  long  when  the  Lord  joined 
her  and  together  they  went  out  of  the  city  to  the  hills. 
There  sitting  down  they  recited  two  sad  stories,  of 
living  poor  in  caste  and  at  home,  but  when  he  fully 
knew  that  this  woman  gave  him  all  her  soul,  rich  with 
love,  he  told  her  that  “he  would  never  forsake  her  nor 
leave  her  alone/* 

And  there  on  the  side  of  the  hill  with  the  moon*  and 
stars  pouring  over  them  the  light  of  night,  Mary  con- 
fessed her  love  for  him  and  parted  away  from  him 
apace,  let  loose  her  hair,  and  with  her  sandals  removed, 
holding  her  gown  closely  about  her  limbs  and  her  bos- 
om bare,  on  which  the  light  of  the  stars  fell,  with  all 
the  little  bells,  add  her  beaten  gjold  tinkling,  just 
touching  her  toes  to  the  ground,  Mary  danced  for  the 
Lord — danced  and  swayed — like  the  tops  of  the  cedars 
of  Lebanon.  Swayed  and  waved  in  her  wondrous  emo- 
tions. Now  she  held  her  right  hand  over  her  head; 


26 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


then  bowed  as  in  obeisance;  forward  and  backward  she 
gyrated  until  she  fell  at  the  feet  of  the  man  who  found 
her  a sinner  and  filled  her  with  love,  woman's  justifica- 
tion. Tenderly  Jesus  spake  to  Mary  of  his  purposes 
and  the  world's  great  need  of  him.  As  they  stood  up 
to  go  back  to  the  village  he  laid  his  hand  on  her  hair 
and  said,  “If  any  come  unto  me  and  hate  not  his  father 
and  mother  and  brethren  and  sisters  and  wife  and  chil- 
dren, yea  and  his  own  life  also,  he  cannot  be  my  dis- 
ciple." And  she  answered  him,  “I  love  thee;  I love 
thee  beyond  all  things,  my  Lord."  And  they  knew 
each  other;  that  owning  nothing  of  the  world  they 
yet  had  all  things  and  were  happy. 

Mary  told  the  Lord  of  her  little  home  at  Bethany 
and  together  in  the  midnight  they  started  to  go  home. 
A walk  in  the  night  from  Nain  toward  Bethany,  “The 
man  and  the  woman";  he  with  a kingdom  not  of  this 
world,  in  his  life;  she  with  the  Master  Man  in  her 
heart,  the  silver  of  heaven  falling  on  their  feet  as 
they  moved  onward,  she  to  make  known  the  man  to 
Martha  and  Lazarus;  he  to  find  his  earth  home  and 
friends.  Glorious  was  this  walk  in  the  night.  The 
place  of  their  feet  is  the  path  of  the  world's  gospel  to 
men  and  women  even  now. 


CHAPTER  TWO. 


B 


AT  BETHANY. 

ETHAN' Y was  a small  village  near  to  Jerusalem 
on  the  slope  of  Mount  Olivet  and  close  to 
Bethpage  and  Gethsemane,  hidden  among  olive 
orchards.  So  close  to  the  city  it  was  that  only  the  very 
poor  lived  there.  In  this  village  Martha  and  Lazarus 
kept  a house;  one  of  the  rude  huts.  But  the  house 
was  really  the  property  of  Mary.  At  least  she  ruled  it 
when  there 


Inside  the  house  things  looked  very  different.  The 
things  that  appealed  to  Mary’s  learned  tastes  were  in 
evidence.  Presents  that  the  Egyptian  girl  had  given  her 
and  fancy  work  picked  up  in  the  different  cities,  but 
in  profusion  with  the  other  ornaments  were  cultivated 
lilies  about  the  place.  Little  foxes  played  around  the 
yard  and  birds  sang  a full  song  in  the  trees.  The  house 
stood  apart  from  the  other  ones.  So  it  was  a quiet  re- 
treat. 

To  this  place  of  seclusion  and  rest,  Mary  came  with 
the  Lord  from  Nain  across  the  plain.  They  arrived 


28 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


late  in  the  evening.  It  may  be  guessed  that  no  little 
surprise  was  created  among  the  people  of  the  village. 
The  folk  gazed  at  Christ  and  wondered  who  such  an 
one  could  be  that  would  be  so  attentive  in  a serious 
fashion  to  Mary.  Martha  liked  the  Lord  on  sight  and 
the  Master  looked  on  Martha  and  loved  her,  for  her 
sister’s  sake.  Lazarus  was  not  at  home  when  they  first 
came.  But  when  he  did  see  the  man  he  too  was  taken 
with  him.  So  kindly  was  the  Lord  treated,  that  he 
at  once  became  one  of  them.  It  would  be  hard  to  imag- 
ine a more  congenial  family  than  these  people  made. 
Martha  did  the  work  while  Lazarus  looked  out  for  the 
provision.  Mary  did  littlfe  else  than  wait  on  the  Lord. 
Oft  Martha  complained  of  this  but  it  did  her  no  good 
for  the  man  always  defended  the  younger  sister.  Thus 
Mary  had  her  own  way,  and  sitting  at  the  feet  of  Jesus 
they  learned  each  other. 

From  Bethany,  Christ  and  Mary  looked  out  on  a 
world  of  need.  Both  knew  what  it  meant  to  be  out- 
casts of  society.  Both  had  felt  the  sting  of  religious 
rebuke.  Both  had  felt  want.  Both  were  great  in  mind ; 
were  geniuses  and  no  power  could  stop  their  mighty 
enthusiasm.  Both  had  the  same  faith.  But  one  object 
in  life  moved  them;  in  one  common  suffering  they  were 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


29 


one:  A single  God  was  their  God,  Infinite,  personal 
and  kind  to  help.  This  God  demanded  service  and 
they  would  serve.  The  Lord  was  the  master  and  Mary 
would  minister  to  his  wants.  Mary  knew  but  little 
of  the  doctrines  of  the  writings  of  the  temple  service. 
What  she  did  know  was,  that  none  of  it  all  was  for  the 
poor  and  sinners  such  as  she  had  been.  She  was  not 
in  any  way  given  to  the  headstrong  love  of  her  people 
as  were  most  of  the  women  of  the  village,  because  one 
of  her  best  friends  was  an  Egyptian,  a girl  of  great 
beauty,  a Jeweled  one  of  the  city.  The  temple  was 
simply  to  her  the  place  where  the  priests  took  tithes 
and  burned  meats  the  while  chanting  psalms  they  did 
not  mean.  The  Lord  had  no  trouble  with  her  about 
the  law  and  the  prophets,  and  he  cared  no  great  con- 
sideration for  them  himself  for  they  were  of  little  force 
for  good  to  the  people  who  needed  to  know  of  God. 

Thus  prepared  they  gave  themselves  up  to  each  other. 
Jesus  talked  and  Mary  sat  at  his  feet  and  listened  to 
his  words.  Whatever  she  was  to  know  of  religion  and 
God  it  would  come  to  her  from  the  Lord.  Whatever 
the  Lord  was  to  teach  after  this,  all  of  it  was  colored 
by  his  stay  at  Bethany  and  his  life  with  Mary.  Their 
habits  at  Bethany  were  very  simple.  Mary  would  wa- 


30 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


ter  the  lilies  and  put  the  ornaments  in  order  while 
Jesus  and  her  brother  talked  till  the  time  came  for 
Lazarus  to  go  about  his  labor,  then  she  would  take  the 
man  by  the  hand  and  together  they  spent  the  day  in 
the  olive  orchards  walking  the  paths  at  Bethpage  and 
along  the  brook  Kidron.  The  trees  were  always  full  of 
birds.  Mary  was  fond  of  them  for  they  had  been  her 
sweetest  companions.  The  foxes  ran  before  them  over 
the  sandal  walks.  Here  on  an  eminence  where  the  city 
could  be  seen,  oft  they  would  sit  and  commune  with  the 
surroundings.  It  was  on  this  place  that  Christ  stood 
to  preach  his  first  sermon  to  the  people  of  the  village. 
After  which  he  was  no  longer  idle  for  the  people  gath- 
ered around  him  always  anxious  to  hear  of  his  sayings 
to  them.  So  Mary  had  to  go  in  his  ministry  to  be 
with  him. 

It  now  became  the  habit  of  the  Lord  to  go  from 
Bethany  to  the  other  places  near,  and  return  at  even- 
ing. Mary  would  accompany  him  as  far  as  she  could, 
for  the  crowds  that  came  out  to  hear  him  about  this 
time  were  large.  About  this  time,  too,  the  Lord  be- 
came more  of  a mystery  to  Mary.  He  no  longer  spoke 
as  one  teaching,  but  as  one  having  authority.  He  spoke 
of  God  as  the  father  of  all  men  and  even  called  men, 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


31 


gods,  saying  that  David  the  King  so  wrote  in  the 
psalms.  He  spoke  of  Devils  and  on  one  occasion  she 
took  Mary  Magdalene,  her  friend  who  had  danced  on 
the  sand  with  her  at  Nam,  to  him,  he  bade  the  devils 
depart  from  her  and  they  obeyed  him  so  that  Mag- 
dalene was  sick  no  more  of  her  evils.  During  this 
time  he  had  spoken  to  the  Pharisees  in  such  terms  as  to 
make  them  flame  with  hate.  The  Scribes  and  lawyers 
also  he  called  hypocrits.  He  openly  accused  the  law- 
yers of  “taking  away  the  key  of  knowledge.”  So  strong- 
ly did  he  urge  his  way  among  men  that  none  dared 
argue  against  him. 

But  as  his  ministry  grew  in  proportion  the  Priests 
became  alarmed  and  already  Mary  heard  threats  against 
the  man.  She  told  him  of  these  dangers,  but  that  only 
seemed  to  encourage  him  all  the  more.  “You  do  not 
understand,  Mary,”  he  said  to  her  on  one  of  their  walks 
home.  “Then  tell  me,”  she  asked  him.  They  came  to 
their  rock  where  they  had  spent  their  first  home  com- 
ing and  sitting  there,  Christ  said  to  her,  “God  is  a 
spirit  and  they  that  worship  him,  must  worship  him  in 
spirit  and  in  truth,”  “not  in  Jerusalem  nor  on  the 
mountains,  but  everywhere  that  man  will  come  to  God, 
there  shall  he  be  accepted  of  God.”  “The  devils  obey 


32 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


me  and  depart  from  among  men  at  my  approach  be- 
cause I am  the  Son  of  God.”  Mary  could  not  under- 
stand these  deep  sayings,  but  treasured  them  in  her 
heart. 

Many  men  came  to  join  the  Lord  now  and  they  often 
kept  him  late  in  conversation.  When  he  did  come  to 
Mary  he  always  came  with  the  tender  solicitude  for 
her  that  he  showed  at  first.  With  many  careful  speech- 
es he  tried  to  have  her  understand  the  kingdom  of 
Heaven.  He  tried  to  tell  her  that  the  spirit  is  abso- 
lute; that  it  is  the  real  person  and  has  forever  life  be- 
fore it,  that  it  can  never  go  to  nothing;  that  all  men 
and  women  are  spirits,  the  children  of  God;  that  the 
bodies  of  those  we  see  perish  from  the  spirits  is  death; 
that  he  came  from  the  spirit  world,  so  had  she.  But 
she  could  not  understand  that  the  form  and  face  she 
so  loved  was  not  the  man,  but  that  a hidden  man  was 
the  Lord.  'When  he  told  her  that  love  was  of  the  spirit 
and  not  of  the  lips,  it  was  a hard  saying  for  a woman 
to  believe.  And  when  he  said  all  power  came  from  God 
and  that  God  was  love;  that  even  he  the  Lord  was  not 
good,  none  good  but  this  God,  Mary  gave  it  up. 

She  would  have  left  him  but  the  earnestness  of  the 
man  compelled  her  to  follow  him.  How  hard  was  the 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


33 


lot  of  them.  Days  and  days  they  would  scarcely  have 
rest.  They  were  glad  when  Judas  would  buy  some  lit- 
tle fare  for  their  evening  meal.  Often  they  would  sleep 
on  the  bare  earth.  To  lie  down  on  the  naked  ground, 
hungry  and  sore  of  feet,  with  nothing  but  memories  of 
threats  and  scoff ings,  jeerings  and  cursings.  This  was 
the  lot  of  Mary  with  the  Lord  about  this  time.  Yet 
as  the  Egyptians  were  said  to  read  the  meaning  of 
their  Gods  of  the  stars,  Mary  was  reading  on  the  face 
of  the  Lord  all  that  she  had  experienced  of  sorrow 
and  more,  she  read  there  the  story  of  the  inner  man, 
of  the  spirit  dominance  of  self;  that  whoever  lives  that 
power  within  him  is  not  moved  by  the  dangers  about 
him  nor  the  hardships  along  the  way  a career  reaches 
forth.  But  her  love  for  him  caused  her  pain  nor  did 
she  know  sufficiently  to  see  the  glory  that  an  enlight- 
ened vision  would  have  given  her.  How  she  pitied  him. 
Her  association  with  the  man  made  her  know  some 
things  the  others  of  his  party  did  not  know,  nor  could 
they  know.  The  one  thing  she  did  know  was  that  Christ 
rebuked  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  and  lawyers;  that 
he  spake  to  his  Disciples  always  with  authority,  yet 
never  did  he  address  her  in  other  than  tender  terms. 
No  difference  how  hard  the  day  nor  sad  the  night  he 


34 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


was  always  the  same  Lord  to  her  as  he  was  in  the  vil- 
lage of  Nam,  when  he  said  he  would  never  leave  her 
alone. 

From  place  to  place  the  Lord  traveled  preaching; 
preaching  always  the  same  things;  always  telling  the 
poor  that  they  were  as  good  as  the  Priests  of  the  Tem- 
ple; as  the  Scribes  who  read  the  Sfcriptures;  as  the 
lawyers  who  stole  the  sense  of  heaven  away  from  the 
words  of  God  and  placed  lies  there  instead;  that  the 
poor  were  blessed  and  should  inherit  the  kingdom  of 
God;  that  the  kingdom  of  God  was  not  of  this  world. 
That  was  the  hard  part  of  his  gospel  for  Mary  to  un- 
derstand. One  day  he  said  to  a large  gathering  of  peo- 
ple that  he  and  his  father  were  one  and  defied  the 
Priests  present  to  reason  against  him.  From  that  time 
on  Mary  had  a new  vision  of  the  man  she  had  been 
with  through  so  much  suffering.  Now  she  began  to 
think  of  his  power  while  before  she  only  thought  of 
his  love  for  the  lowly  and  sinners.  She  had  seen  him 
cure  Magdalene,  but  her  love  for  him  blinded  her  eyes. 
She  began  to  worship  him  as  never  before  and  though 
she  was  always  near  to  him  and  gave  him  her  service 
still  a mystery  concerning  him  took  possession  of  her. 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


35 


'Word  came  to  her  that  Lazarus  was  sick  and  she 
asked  to  go  home  to  help  Martha  and  be  near  her 
brother  whom  she  loved.  The  Lord  being  willing,  Mary 
went  home  and  found  her  brother  sick  unto  death. 
Long  days  and  nights  she  sat  with  Martha  by  the  bed- 
side of  Lazurus,  so  lonely,  so  sad,  for  the  Lord  was 
not  there  and  her  brother  loved  the  Master  Man  so 
dearly.  Then  the  end  came,  they  had  to  give  up  the 
only  brother,  one  who  had  always  been  kind.  He  never 
censured  her  when  all  the  world  had  been  unkind. 
These  women  sat  there  in  their  utter  sorrow,  but  Mary 
more  than  Martha,  for  she  was  more  alone,  now  that 
he  was  gone,  for  sometimes  her  sister  would  scold  and 
the  boy  would  defend  her.  And  too,  a great  mystery 
was  in  her  heart ; a great  suffering  was  in  her  memory ; 
a great  man  had  been  near  her  and  now  he  was  ab- 
sent in  this  grief. 

Mary  arose  in  her  grief  and  stood  at  the  door  looking 
out  over  the  plain,  the  way  she  used  to  come  home  with 
the  Lord  when  Lazarus  would  meet  them.  As  she 
leaned  her  hair  came  loose  from  its  rings  and  fell  over 
her  face  so  that  her  tears  ran  down  the  braids  to  fall 
on  her  feet.  She  looked  for  the  coming  of  the  master 
for  hours,  but  he  came  not  and  Martha  helped  her  to 


36 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


a seat  on  the  floor  of  the  house.  Here  Mary  sat,  for 
she  had  no  one  to  whom  she  could  go  for  pity.  No 
one  but  the  Lord  and  Lazarus  were  kind  to  her  in  this 
place.  The  people  knew  her  and  were  jealous  of  her. 
Besides  all  knew  that  she  had  been  a great  sorrow  to 
Lazarus ; that  many  times  he  had  tried  to  persuade  her 
to  live  at  home  and  stay  away  from  the  streets  of  the 
cities  but  she  would  not.  Now  she  could  not  look  to 
them  for  sympathy.  Alone  with  her  dead  and  the 
Master  not  there.  The  Master  had  helped  Magdalene. 
“Oh,  Lazarus,  if  he  had  been  here  you  would  not  have 
died,”  she  wailed.  So  great  was  her  grief  that  some 
of  the  company  that  came  to  console  with  Martha  did 
pity  her,  but  all  wondered  why  her  Master  had  not 
come. 

Some  one  said  to  Martha  that  the  Master  was  coming 
and  she  ran  out  to  meet  him  and  told  him  that  Lazarus 
had  died.  He  asked,  “Where  is  Mary?”  That  he 
wanted  her  to  come  to  him.  Then  Martha  went  sil- 
ently into  the  house  and  said  to  her  sister,  “Thy  Mas- 
ter is  come  and  calleth  secretly  for  thee.”  When  Mary 
heard  this,  she  rose  up  quickly  and  ran  to  Jesus  and 
fell  at  his  feet  crying,  “Lord,  if  thou  hadst  been  here 
my  brother  would  not  have  died.”  When  the  Lord 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


37 


saw  her  lying  at  his  feet  weeping,  he  groaned  in  his 
sorrow  and  wept.  His  tears  fell  on  Mary’s  hair.  He 
lifted  her  up  and  said,  "Mary,  I am  come;  I am  the 
resurrection  and  the  life.  I will  never  forsake  thee 
nor  leave  thee  alone.”  Then  he  brought  Lazarus  up 
out  of  the  grave  and  gave  him  over  to  Martha  who 
took  her  brother  to  the  house  and  the  people  followed 
them. 

The  Lord  and  Mary  went  apart  to  themselves.  He 
sat  down  as  was  his  wont.  Mary  stood  up  before  him 
and  sang  to  him  the  words  of  Meriam,  “Sing  ye  to  the 
Lord,  for  he  hath  triumphed  gloriously;  the  horse  and 
the  rider  hath  he  thrown  into  the  sea.”  And  as  she 
sang  she  danced  her  dance  for  him,  drawing  about  the 
simple  robe  of  her  weeping,  her  tangled  hair  laying 
loosely  on  her  bare  shoulders  she  began  to  sway  back 
and  forth  and  would  lean  her  body  forward  toward 
the  Lord.  As  she  so  leaned,  he  caught  her  in  his  arms 
and  held  her  head  in  his  hands  against  his  breast, 
pointing  upward  saying,  “Beyond  that  blue  veil  Mary 
is  our  home,”  and  as  he  so  held  her  she  put  her  hand 
on  his  hair  and  kissed  his  cheek.  A great  light  shone 
in  her  eyes,  she  trembled  for  joy.  With  her  head  lean- 
ing on  his  arm  they  walked  to  the  house. 


38 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


At  the  house  Martha  and  Lazarus  waited  for  them; 
also  many  people  gathered  but  the  Lord  dismissed  them3 
so  that  he  could  be  alone  with  Mary,  so  great  had  been 
her  sorrow,  that  she  trembled  as  she  walked.  The  Mas- 
ter noticed  it.  As  they  sat  in  the  house  Lazarus  so 
lately  risen,  Martha  thought  Jesus  would  talk  to  him, 
but  not  so.  He  was  caring  for  Mary,  for  he  knew  she 
was  sick  of  so  much  sorrow,  and  he  and  Mary  knew 
that  a greater  thing  than  raising  the  dead  had  been 
done;  that  they  together  had  discovered  the  absolute, 
the  law  of  it  was  love;  a law  any  one  could  understand 
once  it  were  given  him  to  know;  that  in  that  country 
is  life  and  no  fear  of  death  for  love  forbade  fear  to 
enter.  They  had  by  being  together  known  what  other- 
wise is  unknowable.  So  knowing,  they  sat  apart  and 
communed  with  each  other;  Martha  and  Lazarus  slept, 
Jesus  and  Mary  lived.  # 


CHAPTER  THREE. 


IN  THE  VILLAGE  OF  EPHRAIM. 

®TJT  toward  Galilee  in  Judea  is  a small  dwelling 
place  known  as  the  village  of  Ephraim.  It 
is  quite  a distance  from  Bethany  and  removed 
from  the  general  walks,  and  was  at  the  time  of  which 
we  write.  It  was  one  of  those  places  that  the  extremely 
poor  inhabit.  Here  came  the  Lord  and  Mary  from 
the  scenes  of  her  late  sorrow.  Christ  brought  her  here 
for  rest  from  the  turmoil  that  now  grew  thick  about 
them  over  near  the  city. 


In  this  retreat  he  expected  to  gather  strength  for  the 
coming  passover.  Mary’s  anxiousness  for  him  was  tel- 
ling the  story  of  fear  on  her  face.  Lines  of  care  were 
showing  on  her  young  form.  The  Master  noticed  all 
this;  that  his  dear  friend  was  sad  for  him  and  tried  in 
many  ways  to  teach  her  that  she  had  cast  her  life  with 
a Man  of  Destiny. 

The  people  of  the  village  often  wondered  when  they 
saw  these  two  walking  out  the  paths  to  some  place  of 
seclusion,  why  they  so  often  cared  to  be  alone.  Days 


40 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


and  days  they  spent  out  of  town  and  coming  late  to  the 
village  at  night  would  retire  to  their  house  and  hide 
from  the  gaze  of  curious  watchers. 

At  this  time  the  Lord  was  preparing  Mary  for  the 
tragedy  that  should  soon  happen.  What  it  would  be 
he  did  not  at  that  time  know.  But 'that  the  priests 
and  all  in  authority  were  determined  to  rid  them- 
selves of  him  he  was  sure  and  he  thought  to  have  Mary 
ready  for  the  evil  days,  for  well  he  knew  that  if  need 
be  she  would  die  for  him. 

And  here  it  was  that  the  Lord  let  Mary  know  that 
they  were  in  a world’s  play  and  that  she  was  playing 
no  small  part  of  it;  that  she  should  be  full  of  courage 
and  trust;  that  she  should  teach  the  disciples  trust  and 
confidence,  that  waiting,  hoping  against  hope,  to  tell 
them  to  wait  looking  for  him  to  the  end  of  all  the  prom- 
ises. To  her  he  revealed  himself  freely;  fully  making 
known  the  great  mystery  of  being.  Here  he  spoke  that 
wonderful  doctrine  of  man;  that  man  was  the  master 
of  the  earth  and  its  kingdom,  “as  such  they  were,  man 
made/’  that  justice  belonged  of  right  to  every  one;  that 
mercy  was  the  tenderest  emotion,  while  the  voice  of 
pity  could  never  be  denied  in  Court  where  God  was  re- 
spected; that  sympathy  was  the  greatest  human  pas- 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


41 


sion,  followed  by  service  that  Jehovah  would  accept; 
that  to  live  such  a life  as  those  virtues  expressed  made 
man  above  all  law  and  made  him  a law  unto  himself, 
being  perfect  in  his  generation;  that  each  individual 
is  possessed  of  the  spirit  of  God  and  of  nature  so  that 
no  other  being  had  so  possessed  and  never  could  again 
and  it  was  a waste  of  God  to  tolerate  distinctions 
among  men;  that  God  is  perfect  and  in  so  living  man 
might  fully  know  the  absolute;  that  her  brother  had 
not  died,  there  was  no  such  thing,  only  fear  of  the 
change  was  the  real  meaning  of  death;  that  he  knew 
all  these  things  because  he  could  discern  back  of  all 
that  appeared,  back  of  the  blue  sky  and  back  of  the 
face  on  which  love  lighted  the  lamp  of  the  soul,  the 
unseen  world  that  was  not  to  pass’ and  perish;  that  into 
this  place  were  mansions  of  gl'ory  for  mankind. 

He  had  to  teach  some  one  these  doctrines  in  order 
to  leave  them  with  man  and  he  was  constantly  in  dan- 
ger now,  he  was  exceedingly  anxious  for  them.  To 
Mary  alone  could  he  begin  to  make  known  these  secret 
messages  he  bore  in  his  heart.  He  knew  that  she  loved 
him  with  a woman’s  great  love  for  man  and  that  she 
looked  on  him  as|  greater  than  all  other  men,  but  this 
was  not  enough  for  him.  She  must  know  him  more 


42 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


and  better.  The  passion  of  Mary  was  for  him.  He 
knew  that  only  in  this  way  was  it  possible  for  women  to 
love  and  that  in  this  way  revelations  of  the  world  and 
the  heavens  could  be  made  to  her  fine  intuition  and 
spiritual  sense.  So  he  taught  her  that  the  true  “God 
is  love,”  and  that  when  she  loved  him  that  God  was 
living  in  her  heart;  that  without  love,  life  is  worth- 
less however  elegant  were  forms;  that  nature  was  the 
voice  of  him  who  is  Father  of  all;  that  the  dust  of 
the  desert  is  matter  and  void  of  love;  that  within  her 
very  being  moved  the  great  spirit  of  Jehovah  of  the 
Temple,  that  he  was  within  her  breast;  that  a rule  of 
the  temple  or  a law  of  Rome  preventing  God  to  live 
through  her  person  out  in  his  own  world  was  wrong 
and  evil.  He  taught  her  that  he  was  born  of  woman, 
loved  by  the  maid  of  Bethlehem  and  to  enter  again  the 
heart  of  woman  in  love  was  right,  was  God’s  way  of 
revealing  himself  to  men.  That  to  be  true  to  self- 
being was  the  first  law  of  life  and  on  the  flowers,  in 
the  birds,  everywhere  on  the  fields,  coming  down  in  the 
rain,  waving  in  tresses  of  sun-flung  gold  on  the  green 
tops  of  the  Cedars  of  Lebanon,  in  her  own  dear  eyes 
and  lips,  the  glory  of  the  infinite  is  in  His  existence, 
and  must  never  be  denied. 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


43 


Mary  begged  for  the  light  of  the  world  but  could 
not  understand  when  it  came  even  from  his  lips  to  her. 
He  said  to  her,  “You  shall  know  the  truth  and  the 
truth  shall  make  you  free.”  “When  shall  I be  so  free,” 
she  asked  of  him.  “Mary,  do  you  not  yet  understand 
after  what  I have  said  to  you,”  “Ho,  Lord,  sometimes 
your  speech  indicates  to  me  that  you  are  God,  and  then 
again  you  speak  of  one  afar  off;  one  beyond  all  and 
greater  than  all  we  know.  How  may  I know  all  these 
things,  I know  that  I love  you  and  love  the  very  way 
you  live  and  in  my  heart  I feel  when  you  speak  to 
me,  I know  of  that  good  God;  the  more  I know  the 
people  that  are  poor  and  needy  how  you  love  them  and 
you  are  good  to  me,  Oh ! my  heart  breaks  for  you. 
Tell  me,  Lord,  all  things  you  would  have  me  know  and 
I will  be  to  you  ever  true.” 

Jesus  saw  that  Mary  was  as  the  rest  of  the  people  in 
the  respect  of  being  unable  to  comprehend  the  spirit 
of  his  message.  That  only  love  was  plain  to  her  and 
that  all  her  love  was  for  him.  That  beyond  his  per- 
son it  was  hard  for  her  to  go,  try  ever  as  she  would. 
So  he  resorted  to  the  things  she  loved  in  order  to  re- 
veal the  hidden  souls  of  speech  concerning  eternal 
truths  which  seemed  plain  to  him. 


44 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


On  one  of  their  walks  he  repeated  the  songs  of  Solo- 
mon and  spoke  his  poem  of  the  Lilies,  “consider  the 
lilies  of  the  field  how  they  grow;  they  toil  not,  neither 
do  they  spin;  and  yet  I say  unto  you  that  even  Solo- 
mon in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these,” 
so  when  he  had  finished,  her  eyes  were  filled  with  tears. 
She  looked  at  his  earnest  face,  so  good  and  kind,  and 
said  to  him,  “I  love  thee  with  all  my  mind  and  heart 
and  all  my  might.  So  sweet  thy  words  to  hear  I won- 
der how  any  one  can  deny  thee.  So  beautiful  thy  face 
to  me  and  the  charm  of  thy  regard,  I am  unworthy 
of  thy  love.”  He  put  his  hand  on  her  lips  to  hush  the 
speech  of  her  humiliation.  Then  with  his  arm  about 
her,  led  her  to  the  village,  to  their  house. 

They  lived  apart  from  the  rest  of  the  persons  who 
made  up  the  number  of  Christ’s  following.  The  dis- 
ciples did  not  care  for  Mary.  She  was  in  their  way  but 
they  dared  not  disturb  her  for  the  Lord  would  tolerate 
no  unkindness  toward  her.  One  of  the  chief  men 
among  them  discerned  the  distinction  that  Jesus  gave 
to  the  beautiful  girl  of  Bethany  and  distinguished  her 
as  the  “Other  Mary,”  meaning  that  she  was  above  the 
Mary  Magdalene  who  was  very  anxious  to  care  for 
the  Master.  This  was  Matthew,  a converted  publican, 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


45 


and  he  knew  Mary  when  he  stood  at  the  gates  of  the 
city  to  collect  tax.  Now  that  she  was  loved  by  the 
Lord,  seemingly  above  the  rest  of  the  women,  was  one 
of  the  mysteries  of  the  wonderful  life  of  the  man  whose 
leadership  he  now  freely  conceded. 

At  the  house  this  night  all  gathered  to  consult  about 
the  coming  passover.  All  knew  that  something  of 
great  moment  would  be  done.  The  followers  of  the 
Lord  expected  of  him  a display  of  the  miraculous  power 
he  had  expressed  at  other  times.  They  also  looked 
forward  to  a cruel  prosecution  by  the  Hypocrites  of 
the  Temple,  for  the  High  Authorities  had  been  very 
diligent,  lately. 

Peter  as  was  his  custom  was  for  a bold  stand  in  the 
open,  and  so  was  bitter  against  John  who  ever  solicit- 
ous for  the  Lord  spoke  for  a careful  and  secret  visit 
believing  that  only  time  was  necessary  and  all  would 
see  the  way  of  his  Master  to  be  right.  These  two  were 
in  a heated  controversy  with  most  of  the  disciples  favor- 
ing Peter’s  side.  Most  of  them  thought  that  if  Christ 
was  to  be  King,  now  was  the  time.  They  had  hard- 
ships sufficient  for  them.  Judas  alone  was  silent,  seem- 
ingly taking  no  notice  of  the  debates  going  on  about 
him.  About  this  time,  Mary  Magdalene  entered  the 


46 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


room.  She  brought  late  news.  About  her  the  disciples 
gathered  listening  as  she  related  the  purposes  of  the 
authorities  of  the  city  concerning  Christ.  Judas  for 
the  first  time  took  interest  of  the  matter.  It  soon  was 
understood  by  them  all  that  a general  movement  against 
the  Master  and  them  was  on  foot  to  be  carried  forward 
to  the  end  that  they  should  be  driven  out  and  wholly 
destroyed. 

While  this  controversy  was  in  heat  between  the  men 
of  the  party,  Jesus  and  Mary  went  apart  to  themselves  v 
and  looked  on  the  men  awhile  until  Magdalene  came 
and  the  conversation  turned  to  the  threatened  event  of 
the  passover.  They  went  out  to  the  hill  where  they 
had  a resting  place  made  for  them.  Here  reclining  at 
length  the  Lord  bade  Mary  sit  beside  him,  which  she 
was  glad  to  do.  He  took  her  head  in  his  arms,  gently 
stroked  her  hair,  looked  into  her  eyes  and  kissed  her 
lips.  All  the  while  he  asked  her  if  she  indeed  loved 
him.  Mary  gave  him  a sweet,  sad  look  that  answered 
all  inquiry.  “Mary/*  he  said,  “soon  we  will  go  up  to 
the  city  and  we  may  never  come  down  again  for  the 
High  Priests  will  seek  me  and  try  to  destroy  me.  I 
have  labored  to  have  my  disciples  understand,  but  they 
cannot.  I have  tried  to  make  you  know,  but  you  only 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


47 


love  me.  Mary,  I am  not  good.  There  is  none  good 
but  my  Father  which  is  in  Heaven.  I would  have 
yon  love  him.  I would  not  have  you  love  me  less,  but 
Mary,  will  you  know  the  Father,  Mary,  he  will  desert 
me  also.  Will  you  leave  me;”  Mary  was  overcome  by 
the  sadness  of  the  Lord,  but  as  she  pressed  her  soft  face 
to  his  lips  said,  “Lord,  I am  a woman.  I love  you  and 
it  is  not  given  a woman  who  loves  to  desert  her  Master. 
I love  you  and  your  sorrow  shall  I share.” 

He  asked  her  why  she  loved  him,  and  she  answered 
him  so:  “Thou  art  the  loveliest  man  of  the  world. 
Thou  art  comely  to  look  upon  and  gentle  of  voice. 
Thou  art  truthful,  being  full  of  pity,  having  mercy  on 
all  but  above  all,  thou  dost  love  me.  Thus  I think  I 
know  heaven  because  of  thee.  If  thou  and  God  are 
alike  as  one,,  I love  God  for  thy  sake,”  and  she  kissed 
his  feet.  “Mary,  I would  that  all  my  disciples  so 
knew  my  gospel  as  you  do,  but  they  have  not  so  known 
me.  How  sweet  is  love,  to  know  all  things  necessary. 
But  yet  you  do  not  know  me  as  you  shall.  Thy  love 
shall  lead  you  to  the  truth.  I am  weary.  Mary,  one 
time  when  I raised  thy  brother  and  we  were  apart  from 
all  others  you  danced  a beautiful  dance;  it  made  such 
a beautiful  scene  as  I beheld  you,  that  I was  rested  in 


48 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


my  spirit.  Can  you  make  your  form  bend  so  and 
your  eyes  laugh  the  light  of  victory  as  they  did  then? 
Mary,  I would  see  you  dance  as  you  did  then  for  I may 
never  see  you  in  such  glory  of  yourself  again  and  you 
were  so  beautiful  to  see/’  As  he  spoke,  her  head  was 
on  his  breast.  She  was  looking  into  his  eyes.  She  saw 
his  lips  tremble.  “What  is  it  that  so  distresses  my  Lord  ? 
They  shall  not  harm  you,  my  love  and  my  cherished 
one.  May  I love  thee  as  I will?”  “Yes,  Mary,  I am 
your  Lord  and  you  may  love  me  all  thou  carest  to.  'But 
love  me  in  your  dance  as  you  did  before.  For  my  heart 
is  sad.  My  disciples  do  not  know  me  nor  the  gospel 
I have  preached  to  them.  Thou  art  a smile  as  the  lilies 
are,  eternal  and  true.  From  the  false  and  ugly  I would 
hide  me  in  admiration  of  thy  form  and  looks  and  at 
no  other  time  are  you  so  beautiful  as  when  with  your 
gown  drawn  about  you  and  the  bells  tinkle  on  the  sil- 
ence, your  white  limbs  moving  so  swiftly  in  the  dance.” 
“My  Lord,  I have  no  bells  and  the  gold  is  gone.  The 
silver  sandals  are  worn  and  soiled,  see?  My  hair  is 
tied  with  threads  of  hair.  Judas  would  have  them  all 
and  I can  no  longer  resist  him.  He  sold  them  and  put 
the  coin  in  his  money  bags.”  “Mary,  Mary,  did  Judas 
do  that?”  “Yes,  Lord,  and  more,  he  wanted  me  to  get 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


49 


money  from  the  cities  as  I used  to  do,  and  I told  him 
I loved  the  Lord.”  “Mary,  Mary,  truly  thou  are  pure 
as  the  dew  that  fell  on  Solomon’s  locks  and  the  glory 
of  Lebanon.”  “Mary  you  have  shown  me  that  Judas 
is  a Devil.” 

Mary  raised  on  her  arm,  looked  up  in  Jesus’s  face 
saying,  “Lord,  is  this  the  heaven  of  which  yon  have 
told  me?  I feel  my  heart  now  open  to  your  words.” 
She  began  singing  a song  of  Solomon,  “My  Beloved 
spake  and  said  unto  me,  rise  up  my  love,  my  fair  one, 
and  come  away,”  I have  no  gems  but  as  I am  I will 
dance  for  you.”  Then  began  her  swaying  to  and  fro. 
At  a distance  sat  Judas  unnoticed  by  them.  Also  came 
up  the  rest  of  the  party,  so  in  this  place  with  the  dis- 
ciples and  Mary  Magdalene  sitting  about,  Mary  sang 
and  danced.  When  it  came  to  the  Egyptian  part,  Mary 
motioned  to  Magdalene  to  join  her.  There  the  women 
joined,  hands  and  danced  as  never  before,  for  they  were 
at  that  time  the  only  ones  who  loved  the  Lord,  and  had 
been  wholly  forgiven  by  him.  After  they  had  danced 
awhile  the  Lord  bade  Mary  sit  by  him  and  Magdalene 
dance  on.  As  they  sat  on  the  ground,  Mary  with  her 
head  on  the  lap  of  his  robe,  the  Lord  patted  her  cheeks 
and  asked  her  if  she  thought  Magdalene  pretty  when 


50 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


she  danced.  Mary  said  no,  not  so  much  as  when  she 
did  some  tender  labor  for  him. 

After  Magdalene  had  pleased  them,  all  went  to  the 
house  and  consulted  about  the  passover  that  was  but 
six  days  off.  Jesus  did  not  mean  to  go  up  until  the  day 
before,  but  Mary  thought  of  Martha  and  Lazarus  at 
Bethany  and  how  nice  it  would  be  for  the  Lord  to  rest 
awhile  before  the  time  of  going  to  the  city.  When  she 
mentioned  it  to  him  he  was  pleased  with  the  promise  of 
the  visit,  and  Mary  sent  word  by  some  friends  going  to 
the  city  that  they  would  visit  at  home. 

The  word  was  sent  to  the  friends  about.  A fine  sup- 
per was  prepared  for  the  two  from  Eiphriam.  As  the 
time  of  their  arrival  drew  near,  Martha  looked  out 
over  the  plain  for  the  first  glimpse  of  them. 

In  the  distance  a man  with  a woman  on  his  arm  was 
coming.  It  was  J esus.  Martha  knew  him  by  his  walk. 
And  her  sister  was  leaning  on  his  side.  As  they  drew 
near  Martha  ran  out  to  meet  them,  while  Lazarus  and 
neighbors  gathered  around  offering  welcome  words. 
Martha  led  the  way  into  the  house  and  supper  being 
ready,  sat  the  Master  and  her  brother  to  the  table  when 
she  took  Mary  aside  and  said  something  that  made 
her  young  sister  smile.  Martha  returned,  found  others 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


51 


had  come  to  eat  with  them,  among  the  number  being 
some  of  the  apostles,  one  of  whom  was  Jndas.  Then 
Mary  came  in  haying  a pound  of  ointment  of  spiknard, 
very  costly,  and  anointed  the  feet  of  Jesus  and  wiped 
his  feet  with  her  hair  (the  like  which  she  had  done 
when  she  first  kissed  him  at  Nain)  and  the  house  was 
filled  with  the  odor  of  the  ointment.  Then  Judas  be- 
gan to  quarrel  with  her  and  said  to  the  Lord  that  Mary 
ought  to  be  censured  by  him  for  she  would  hear  no  one 
else.  Jesus  got  up  from  the  table  and  took  Mary  in 
his  arms,  shaking  his  hand  at  Judas,  said  to  him  in 
tones  never  to  be  forgotten  “let  her  alone;  against  the 
day  of  my  burying  hath  she  kept  this.”  And  Judas 
understood  from  that  time  that  Mary  knew  his  heart. 
Then  Jesus  turned  his  eyes  on  her  and  said,  “Mary, 
lovest  thou  me?”  And  when  she  had  answered  as  she 
always  did,  he  led  her  out  to  the  Olive  grove.  There 
he  spoke  to  her  that  Judas  was  to  have  no  more  to  do 
with  the  disciples. 

Here  he  unfolded  to  her  that  God  works  in  his  kind 
in  the  earth;  that  God  will  bring  all  things  to  his  own 

will. 

When  they  were  come  to  the  house  again,  the  others 
had  retired  and  they  had  peace  until  morning. 


CHAPTER  POUR. 


AT  THE  CROSS. 

1ST  the  night  Mary  Magdalene  came  and  in  the  mora- 
ls' ing  helped  Martha  prepare  the  morning  meal  for 
the  party.  While  the  others  were  eating,  the  Lord 
and  Mary  took  a walk  in  the  Olive  grove,  for  each  knew 
that  startling  things  were  just  before  them.  On  the 
way  out  Mary  told  the  “Man”  of  a beautiful  dream  of 
him  she  had  during  the  night.  She  asked  him  if  dreams 
were  anything  but  air  with  sunshine  falling  through. 
As  they  came  out  of  the  orchard  toward  the  house  a 
large  concourse  of  people  from  the  villages  were  gath- 
ered to  go  up  to  the  city  and  came  forward  to  meet 
them  saying,  “Hail,  Master,”  for  this  was  the  day  that 
Jesus  was  expected  to  announce  his  power  and  assume 
the  throne  of  David.  Many  who  cared  not  for  him  as 
a man,  longed  for  him  to  try  his  power  against  the 
Romans. 


The  many  little  things  about  a house,  however,  hum- 
ble, necessary  to  be  done  were  finished  when  Jesus  and 
his  party  started  to  go  to  the  city  to  face  a day  of  fate ; 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


53 


to  tempt  destiny,  for  all  had  expectancy.  Mary  was 
with  the  Lord  when  they  came  to  a high  place  from 
which  they  could  see  the  path  that  ran  to  the  door  of 
the  little  house.  Here  they  stopped  and  took  a last 
look  at  the  familiar  places  of  their  associations.  Mary 
was  leaning  on  the  breast  of  Christ,  while  he  was  say- 
ing to  her,  “Mary,  the  foxes  have  holes  and  the  birds 
of  the  air  have  their  nests,  but  I have  no  place  to  lay 
my  head,  but  my  Kingdom  is  not  of  this  world.  This 
day  will  be  seen  the  glory  of  God.”  “What  is  the 
meaning  of  these  strange  words,  my  Lord?”  she  asked 
him.  He  only  said,  “Look,  Mary,  at  our  home  now,  our 
home  no  more  forever.  Let  us  go  on  to  the  city.”  Mary 
knelt  at  his  feet  and  wept.  While  so  kneeling  the 
Master  was  carried  away  by  the  people,  so  great  al- 
ready was  the  throng. 

Mary  Magdalene  and  the  other  women  went  up  to 
the  city  alone  for  when  near  the  gate,  Jesus  rode  on  an 
ass’s  colt  as  he  went  into  the  city,  was  hailed  King  of 
Israel.  Mary  walked  with  the  men  and  kept  as  near 
Judas  as  possible  for  the  crowd.  All  day  long  she 
watched  the  glory  of  the  Lord  and  her  heart  was  full 
of  sweet  sad  gladness  as  she  saw  many  people  worship 
him.  Yet  from  what  he  had  said  she  knew  that  some 


54 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


teorrible  thing  would  happen,  that  her  Master  must  suf- 
fer. So  while  the  other  women  were  wild  with  delight, 
a mystery  kept  eternity’s  passion  moving  in  her  breast. 

'When  the  excitement  grew  highest,  about  the  middle 
of  the  afternoon,  Mary  missed  Judas  and  was  alarmed 
by  his  absence  and  watched  for  his  return.  When  he 
did  not  come  she  sought  him  out  and  found  him  in  a 
crowd  of  men  telling  them  of  the  secrets  of  his  Master  ; 
his  face  was  dark  with  envy  and  hate.  When  she  spoke 
to  him  of  his  infidelity  to  the  Master  Man,  whom  he 
had  deceived,  he  called  her  a name  for  which  she  had 
been  forgiven,  telling  her  that  that  day  would  end  the 
folly  of  following  a beggar  as  a God;  for  that  Jesus 
was  an  imposter  ; that  the  High  Priest  was  the  true 
ruler  of  the  Jews.  Mary  had  been  bold  in  the  presence 
of  men  and  had  little  fear  of  any  but  the  awful  anger 
of  the  “Apostate”  abashed  her.  However,  she  appealed 
to  the  men  that  they  knew  Judas  and  that  he  was  a 
liar;  they  knew  for  that  he  himself  had  been  trusted 
with  the  money  of  the  Lord  and  had  purchased  of  them. 
Whereupon  Judas  declared  that  Jesus  was  a tramp  and 
had  no  home  nor  people,  except  the  home  of  Mary 
where  shame  was  on  the  door  post.  The  men  jeered 
her  so  that  she  could  say  no  more. 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


55 


That  day  had  been  one  of  great  labor  for  Mary  keep- 
ing watch  on  the  traitor.  She  had  seen  little  of  the 
other  women.  Mary  Magdalene  had  been  with  the 
mother  of  Jesus  while  John  cared  for  them.  One  of 
the  strange  things  to  Mary  was  the  absence  of  Peter. 
Also  the  older  brothers  of  the  Lord  were  seldom  seen. 
The  poor  of  the  city  had  surrounded  Christ  and  be- 
came a very  mob  so  it  was  impossible  to  get  near  him. 
She  wanted  to  tell  him  of  the  treachery  of  Judas  but 
was  unable  for  the  throng  and  could  find  no  one  to 
bear  him  the  word. 

Late  in  the  evening  she  knew  that  Jesus  was  sep- 
arated from  the  people  and  was  gone  with  the  disciples, 
Peter  and  the  two  sons  of  Zebedee,  to  the  garden  of 
Gethsemane  to  pray  and  commune  with  the  night  as 
was  his  liking.  She  walked  out  that  way  and  was  near- 
ing the  place  when  a mob  of  men  armed  with  clubs  and 
rocks  passed  her.  In  the  crowd  she  saw  Judas  and 
heard  his  voice  advising  the  men  the  way  they  should 
go.  She  ran  after  them  and  when  they  came  to  the 
garden,  she  saw  Judas  run  to  the  Lord  and  kiss  him, 
and  say,  "Hail,  Master.”  At  this  many  laid  hands  on 
J esus.  Then  she  ran  to  the  Lord,  threw  her  arms  about 
his  neck  and  kissed  him  saying,  "0,  my  Lord,  they  will 


56 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


take  you,  may  I go  also?  May  I go  with  you?”  The 
Lord  stood  silent.  The  men  of  the  party  pulled  her 
away  from  Jesus  and  asked  Judas  of  her.  He  told 
them  that  she  was  that  Mary,  “the  girl  of  Bethany, 
who  loved  the  Pretender.”  When  they  heard  that,  so 
roughly  did  they  handle  her  that  she  lay  in  a swoon 
all  night.  When  it  was  day  she  waked  and  dragged 
herself  from  the  ground  where  Jesus  had  prayed,  and 
kneeling  there  prayed  as  he  had  that  the  suffering 
threatened  him  should  not  fall  upon  him. 

She  came  to  the  city  looking  for  Judas.  Late  in  the 
day  she  found  him,  following  him  continually,  accus- 
ing him  of  his  treason,  looking  on  him  with  such  sad 
eyes  that  Judas  could  stand  the  memory  of  his  offense 
no  longer  and  prepared  in  her  presence  to  hang  him- 
self. In  her  presence  he  hanged  himself  and  as  he 
burst  asunder  at  her  feet  she  stood  over  him  saying, 
“Go,  Judas,  to  your  own  place.  Go,  Judas,  to  the 
cursings  of  all  future  time.  Go,  Judas,  to  the  hate  of 
all  women.  0 ! J udas,  thou  dog.  Thou  hast  betrayed 
my  Lord.  Oh,  Judas,  broken  in  pieces,  miserable  are 
the  shreds  of  thy  mean  body.  Hate  on  you,  traitor.” 

Weeping,  Mary  returned  to  the  city  and  there  found 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


57 


Mary  Magdalene,  who  told  her  that  the  Lord  would  be 
crucified  between  two  thieves.  Crucified!  Crucified! 
0,  how  her  heart  melted  in  love  and  pity  for  him.  She 
tried  to  press  her  way  to  his  side  but  was  prevented 
for  Judas  had  warned  the  Priests  against  her  and  they 
kept  watch  on  her  so  that  she  could  not  help  the  man 
to  means  to  destroy  himself,  which  they  much  feared. 
When  they  crucified  the  Lord,  Mary  was  lying  on  the 
rocks  on  the  hill  out  of  sight  of  the  cruel  work  of  the 
Romans.  She  scarcely  knew  what  they  did  so  great 
was  her  grief.  A cloud  came  over  the  hill  and  darkness 
grew  thick.  A scene  of  terror  covered  the  place  where 
the  Master  was  hanging.  The  others  were  gone  for 
fear  was  on  them.  Even  the  Roman  soldiers  had  run 
before  the  phenomenon.  Mary  staggered  to  the  top  of 
the  ridge  and  looked  toward  the  cross.  There  in  the 
dark  hung  her  Lord.  So  weak  the  frightening  scene 
made  her  that  she  fell  to  the  earth,  when  she  heard  him 
cry  out,  “My  God,  My  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken 
me?”  The  piteous  crying  in  the  darkness  pierced  her 
heart.  She  could  lie  down  as  in  death  no  more,  weak, 
her  hands  and  feet  bleeding,  her  hair  fallen  over  her 
face  and  wet  in  tears,  her  bare  bosom  torn  on  the  rocks, 
she  crept  to  the  cross  and  kneeling  in  the  dirt  whisper- 


58 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


ed  out  of  her  choking  grief,  over  and  over,  his  name 
and  kissed  his  feet  and  blood  from  them  was  on  her 
lips.  She  pressed  her  hot  face  against  his  limbs  and 
wept  aloud.  Thus  God  forsaken,  the  Lord  looked  down 
from  the  cross  on  Mary  kneeling,  kissing  his  bleeding 
feet.  He  knew  the  imperishable  story  and  said,  “It  is 
finished.”  She  heard  his  words.  With  her  Lord  and 
his  cross,  rent,  torn,  and  bloody,  in  the  unnatural  dark- 
ness of  the  earth,  her  heart  broken,  Mary!  Mary!  of 
Bethany,  alone  on  the  hill  of  a skull.  So  they  found 
her  standing  there  begging  for  the  body  of  him  that  she 
might  bury  it  and  anoint  it  with  her  ointment,  for  al- 
ready she  had  anointed  him  for  the  last  time  with  her 
tears. 

They,  the  Romans,  gave  her  the  body  and  a rich  man 
gave  her  a place  for  the  body  to  lie  in.  Then  Mary 
took  the  last  of  her  spiknard  and  prepared  the  body  for 
burial.  Magdalene  helped  her,  so  did  his  Mother.  Af- 
ter the  body  was  laid  away  Mary  sat  by  the  door  of  the 
sepulchre,  Magdalene  sitting  with  her.  So  dark  were 
those  days  that  Mary  knew  but  little  that  was  going  on 
about  her.  But  she  looked  for  the  Lord  for  she  sought 
him  in  her  spirit.  She  now  remembered  all  the  words 
he  had  said  to  her  concerning  this  time.  How  he 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


59 


should  come  again  and  she  knew  he  had  not  been 
wounded  unto  death  and  she  knew  that  she  had  been 
careful  of  the  body  of  the  Master.  She  remembered 
that  he  had  said  on  the  third  day  he  would  appear.  So 
when  Magdalene  told  her  that  the  morning  of  the  third 
day  had  come  and  that  light  already  looked  from  the 
east,  she  rose  up  hastily  and  ran  to  the  tomb ; the  other 
women  going  with  her.  When  they  came  to  the  sep- 
ulchre, Magdalene  was  afraid,  but  Mary  ran  after  a 
man  in  the  garden.  As  she  approached,  he  turned  and 
said,  “Mary,”  and  she  fell  at  his  feet  saying,  “My 
Lord.”  Jesus  sent  Magdalene  to  tell  his  apostles  to 
meet  him  in  a place  off  toward  Galilee. 

Jesus  and  Mary  went  out  to  Bethany  and  there 
Christ  blessed  the  people  who  gathered  about  him. 
Mary  always  at  his  side.  The  disciples  came  to  see 
him  in  his  new  manner.  He  gave  the  work  of  his  spir- 
itual kingdom  to  them  and  bade  them  do  his  labor. 
For  forty  days  he  thns  labored  with  them  in  order  that 
they  might  know  the  doctrine  of  the  new  gospel.  And 
then  he  parted  from  them  taking  Mary  with  him. 

The  parting  was  sad  to  the  Apostles.  They  gathered 
about  the  Lord  and  with  many  words  of  love  promised 


60 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


to  do  the  work  of  the  Kingdom  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  the  poor,  which  is  justice  to  them  and  everlasting 
life.  It  was  on  a high  place  overlooking  many  scenes 
and  paths  of  former  meetings.  The  sky  was  clear  and 
off  in  the  distance  the  olive  orchards  looked  beautiful. 
The  earth  seemed  glad.  And  the  men  saw  him  no  more. 

At  Bethany  the  Lord  and  Mary  of  the  Lord,  “The 
maid  of  the  village,”  leave  the  world.  And  the  world 
loses  sight  of  them. 

It  is  not  said  that  they  were  ever  buried.  Their 
graves  are  not  spoken  of.  And  here  so  far  as  the  world 
knows  was  the  end  of  the  greatest  passion  ever  lived 
between  a man  and  a woman  on  this  earth. 

Great  as  has  been  the  love  of  many  for  the  Lord, 
none  ever  so  loved  him  as  did  this  woman.  Divinely 
as  the  Christ  loved  all  mankind,  he  never  loved  any 
other  one  as  he  loved  this  Mary,  gentle,  true,  and  to 
the  last  his  own,  the  woman  of  the  city,  the  redeemed 
harlot  of  a ruined  race. 

Outlawed  and  spurned  from  the  Temple,  they  yet 
found  God  a spirit  and  worshiped  him  in  spirit  and 


JESUS  AND  MARY. 


61 


in  truth.  They  made  their  hearts  to  be  God’s  temple 
and  the  law  it  was  love. 

The  Master  Man  said,  “Verily  I say  unto  you,  where- 
soever this  gospel  shall  be  preached  through  the  whole 
world,  this  also  that  she  hath  done  shall  be  spoken  of 
for  a memorial  of  her.”  This  is  his  statement  of  his 
regard  for  the  woman.  And  standing,  fronting  the 
world  with  his  blood  on  her  lips,  the  story  of  her  love 
for  the  man  is  good  for  the  world  to  know. 

F.  W.  JACOBS, 

December  A.  D.,  1909.  Sapulpa,  Oklahoma,  U.  S.  A. 


PART  II 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS 


AND  OTHER  POEMS 


Night ! Night ! 

Behold ! above  the  Cities  fly — 

Man’s  flaming  Meteors  of  the  sky; 

And  underneath  the  Ocean’s  endless  sweep, 
Across  the  wrecks,  where  buried  Centuries  sleep, 
The  winding  trails  of  man  now  lie. 

Amid  the  crash  of  storm  at  sea, 

A wounded  ship  rolls  helplessly — 

From  wave  to  wave  is  tossed,  in  wanton  spent. 
Through  angry  winds  the  signs  of  sense  are  sent — 
To  her  in  human  sympathy. 

Behold!  beyond  where  now  we  stand, 

Our  Race  is  huddled  in  one  land. 

The  night  has  come;  the  cold  eternal  night! 

The  time  for  life  has  gone,  gone  with  the  light. 
See ! there  we  hopeless,  helpless  stand. 

Come  Poet,  come,  dream  till  your  eyes — 

See  dawns  on  purple  hills  of  skies, 

Eternal,  ranging  on  and  on  through  night — 

That  fades  before  our  inner  self  whose  right. 

This  heedless,  hungry  ages  denies. 

Come,  Poet,  come,  dream  your  surmise — 

To  purple  dawns  on  hills  of  skies. 

Dream  till  the  Astral  floods  of  evening  light, 

Shine  on  the  inner  urge  and  scatter  night. 

With  hope  of  life  on  dying  eyes. 


66 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Mental  Metempsychosis;  or  Living 
Backward 

Yes,  I would  return. 

And  make  the  trip  again ; 

To  see  the  campfires  burn 
Of  youth,  I would  endure  the  pain 
Of  life  with  all  its  waste. 

Yes,  just  to  taste 

The  fruits  of  memory  that  appease 
Allures  my  mind  to  ease; 

While  o’er  my  soul  from  youth  to  here 
The  vision  pauses  to  appear 

In  Age’s  loneliness.  And  so  I turn 
And  travel  backward  to  the  sky. 

Whose  stars  then  kindled  thoughts  that  lie 
Within  my  soul  and  spirit  eye. 

From  place  to  place,  and  through 
The  tangle  of  the  wood 
And  vines  that  slept  with  dew 
Enrobed,  whose  leaves  a hood 
To  cover  hidden  fruit 
I part,  and  like  an  urchin  steal 

The  vine’s  rich  growth,  and  then  pursuit 
Is  hot  upon  my  heel, 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


67 


The  boyhood  spell  is  wild. 

And  beckons  on  from  now  to  then. 

I see  my  mother  lift  her  first  born  child, 
That  on  his  face 
The  father’s  smile 

Might  play  her  glory  back.  And  when, 
Divinity  of  earth — the  while 
Made  on  her  breast  my  resting  place. 

I start.  The  years  unroll 
And,  fancy  led,  my  soul 
Is  glad  of  the  retreat — 

The  passing  o’er  the  trail 
Impressed  with  joys,  avail 
My  journey  with  quickened  feet; 

To  speed  by  these  first  years 
And  bid  me  leave  the  night — 

The  griefs  and  tears — 

To  heed  my  fancy’s  flight. 

With  winged  joys  the  years 
Unfold  to  me. 

For  of -this  stuff  our  hope  is  given, 

And  eternity 

Gives  this  a living  heaven. 

Back ! the  woven  tapestries, 

The  written  creed,  my  life 
In  discord  and  in  harmonies, 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


In  gentleness  and  in  strife, 

Through  habits  manifest, 

Hold  into  the  review. 

And  in  this  quest 

They  hold  the  map  and  portraiture 
Of  living  I give  you. 

So  read,  for  ever  they  endure. 

And  this  is  true  of  all— 

The  sheen  of  soul  and  pall. 

Back  through  the  opening  ways! 

For  all  of  that  we  know  of  earth 
Is  passing  through  the  days, 

And  each  is  life  with  birth. 

Back  through  the  deadening, 

Where  dead  ambitions  stand 
Whose  branches  in  the  moonbeans  fling 
Their  shadows  down.  But  grand 
As  monuments  are  they. 

Of  all  our  life  they  say 
We  lived  a manly  offering. 

But  look,  and  yonder  comes 
A pilgrim  who  will  plan 
Escape.  A joy  is  peeping  in 
The  tangle  of  the  storm — 

A maid  is  greeting  me,  to  win — 

With  lovely  features  and  goodly  form, 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


69 


And  shod  with  silver  shoes, 

And  laughter  in  her  voice,  we  begin — 
We  begin 
Our  glad  return 

Along  the  way  youth’s  campfires  burn. 

Onward  in  backward  flight, 

Our  hands  embrace, 

We  speed  the  spaces  of  the  light 
Where  people  interlace 

Our  memory  with  faces  bright 
In  old  familiar  grace. 

Beside  an  old  farm  well 
Whose  oaken  bucket  rose  and  fell, 
Empolled  with  sweep  and  chain, 

We  pause.  We  pause  to  live  again 
Our  passion.  And  the  ministry 
Of  sex  then  plead  in  vain 
For  bliss.  We  could  not  press 
The  little  lusts  that  love  had  lain 
Within  cur  souls  long  century. 

Like  spots  in  sand,  where  rain 
Had  made  the  clouds’  footprint 
Upon  the  earth.  But  not  a hint 
Of  what  could  ease 
Our  panting  hearts,  till  wild 
The  motherhood  of  melodies 
Sang  to  our  sleeping  child. 


70 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


And  we  are  young  and  free 
To  move  along,  with  pride, 

The  course  we  tremblingly 
Had  wandered  side  by  side. 

We  nurse  this,  &weet,  that  preset 
Her  face  up  through  our  love, 

To  find  on  your  white  breast 
A home  of  heart,  and  move 
You,  dear,  to  choose  the  best 
For  me.  Divine 
In  love’s  embrace 
This  child  of  mine 
With  your  pure  face, 

Its  holy  shrine — 

My  praying  place. 

Mother,  dear,  we  bend  above 
The  symbol  of  the  earth’s  best  love. 

Stay  here  with  me 
There  lies  a smile  of  thee. 

That  song  you  hear  the  mother  sing, 
Yourself  to  free 

Your  heart,  with  ease1, 

The  sweetest  melodies 
Of  all  the  raptures  wild 
In  woman’s  mystery 
'As  sung  to  her  own  child. 

You  sang  to  me. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


71 


My  sister  sweet,  you  hold 
My  roving  fancy  here, 

To  robe  you  in  the  fold 
Of  light,  of  love.  My  dear, 

You  laugh  and  make  me  dream 
Of  one  whose  tenderness 

Came  to  my  life  with  moonbeam 
0‘er  her  sweet  face,  and  your  gentleness. 

0,  childhood;  wonderment 
Of  all  our  life;  and  ever  seen 

The  sister’s  love;  God’s  instrument, 

And  boyhood’s  queen. 

And  he  who  spoke 
The  orders  of  the  day; 

Whose  every  hope  awoke 
And  led  the  way. 

I hear  him  now,  “My  boys,  get  up! 

It’s  time  to  feed.” 

Here  father  comes.  The  morning  cup 
Of  water  in  our  face, 

And  by  our  ears  were  led 
Into  the  room  for  grace — 

The  horses  to  the  plow — 

0,  this  is  living  now. 

Back  and  ever  back  through  scenes  like  these 
’Till  memory  scarce  can  bring 


72 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


The  glories  up.  Yet  on  my  brow 
My  mother's  mother  kiss 
And  breath  still  cling, 

To  live  in  consciousness  ; 

Dividing  being  from  the  nothingness 
That  stalwart  souls  alarms; 

When  I awoke  to  life,  a relevant 
In  tender  arms; 

And  God's  true  covenant; 

And  man's  true  vow. 

And  this  is  all — 
jSTor  shield  nor  paling  pall 
Of  all  the  past 
We  will  relate, 

But  living  now  the  old  life  o’er 
And  free  from  fate — 

A heaven  fronts  the  door. 

Thus  fitly  crowned, 

We  rove  the  circle  through 
The  rainbow  to  the  ground, 

Whose  blush  hangs  on  the  dew, 

And  pictures  in  its  colors  bright 
The  mystery  of  shade  and  light. 

As  parachutes  bring  back  to  earth. 
The  men  with  their  ambitions  birth, 

So  now  I make  descent; 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


73 


And  this,  so  hard  to  do, 

I ask  before  my  powers  are  spent, 
Yon  lend,  to  help  me  through, 

Your  fancies,  while  I retreat 
Along  the  beach 

Where  life’s  wild  tides  forever  beat. 
The  things  beyond  my  reach 
You’ll  have  to  wade  and  get 
Yourself.  The  psychic  streams  descend 
For  you  in  ways  that  never  yet 
Have  made  a bend 
To  near  my  sea 

That  breaks  in  moaning  undertone. 

I sail  alone — 

Just  life  and  me. 

I like  this  moonlit  place; 

For  here  I see 

The  shadows  as  they  chase 
Into  eternity. 

And  as  I try  to  gather  rain 
Of  beings  free  from  pain, 

I find  they  aid 
Me  as  I travel  in  the  mind, 

A way  the  feet  have  never  made. 

Nor  others  tried  to  find. 

There  shines  a sun 
Upon  this  wonderland, 


74 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


But  whose  ways  never  run 
The  deep  recess 

Of  its  great  wilderness. 

And  hard  to  understand 
Is  glory  of  this  kind — 

The  psychic  plan 
•Of  living  back  again 
Is  new  to  man 

As  life  that’s  free  from  pain. 
But  this,  however  well 
We  try  to  do  our  best, 

Now  shadows  lengthen  into  light 
While  glory  fills  the  west. 

The  race  is  free  from  hell. 

So  man  may  see 
The  future  bright— 

The  house  of  eternity 
For  each  and  all. 

For  if  we  find 
It  possible  to  think, 

That  life  can  rest, 

At  last  in  memory. 

And  free  of  every  kind 
Of  pain,  the  dream,  the  best 
Of  all  the  age  is  true. 

And  when  I find 
A place  for  you 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


75 


Of  sweet  content 

And  hopes  high  wonderment. 
This,  then,  the  fairest  dream 
The  mind  of  man  may  know 
Is  at  the  end  of  life’s  long  stream 
To  which  I backward  row. 

However  short  it  seems 
The  time  is  long; 

This  life  is  not  of  dreams 
That  rhyme  is  song; 

But  is  the  soul 
That  does  escape  the  wrong, 
Whose  tides  but  over  roll 
And  do  impress' — 

The  peace  and  good 
Of  virtue’s  joyousness 
' In  triumphant  brotherhood. 
We  only  tell  of  heaven — 

Of  heaven  and  its  bliss; 

We  leave  the  hell 
Where  life  like  this, 

When  hope’s  high  flame 
Is  in  the  conqueror’s  mood, 
Leave  the  ashes  of  the  wood 
To  winds  and  in  the  fame 
Of  life  we  live  the  good. 


76 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


This  recessional 
Is  not  so  hard  to  do, 

Like  stooping  down  to  kiss  a child — 
The  gray  in  mixed  with  all 
The  morning  wild — 

Delight  to  yon; 

Its  glory  weaves  in  gold, 

And  places  in  the  skein 
These  beauties  ere  they’re  told — 

Of  life  apart  from  pain. 

’Tis  process,  and  beyond  the  vain 
Attempts  of  man  to  move 
The  lines  of  thought, 

We  love  and  prove 
What  ere  is  brought 
By  alien  ministers  of  light, 

To  flood  with  dawn 
The  shadows  and  the  bright 
We,  living,  look  upon. 

ASCENSION. 

Ascension!  spirit,  rise  on  thine 
Own  scarlet  wing 
To  your  arcane. 

There  search  in  ways  divine 
For  everything 
To  mortal  vision  vain. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


77 


The  canopy  enfleck 
With  stars  that  beam, 

With  silver  strands  the  creek 
That  courses  down  my  dream 
Is  ringing  echoes  down 
Prom  footfalls  sounding  there — 
The  dance  whose  merriment 
Is  glory  everywhere; 

Whose  glory  has  no  noun, 

But  lives  in  wonderment. 


METEMPSYCHOSIS. 

My  soul,  in  passing  through 
The  changing  of  its  frame 
Has  never  yet,  the  sublimely  true, 
Had  power  to  give  a name. 

The  sweetest  kiss  is  not  from  lips 
Of  mud  refined  by  life, 

But  felt  and  known  when  spirit  tips 
Our  feeling  out  of  strife. 

To  hold  ourself  repose 
With  something,  changeless,  sweet. 

In  eternity’s  enclose — 

In  hope’s  retreat — 

We  to  ourselves  confess 
This  holds  us  back  from  nothingness. 


78 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


How  sweet  must  be 
The  velvet  lips  that  form  no  sound; 

The  taste  of  infancy; 

And  smile  that  plays  around 
A thoughtless  face. 

This  dearest*  best,  from  Eden’s  gate — 
A thing  unnamed — 

Had  moved  beyond  a wrecked  estate 
Where  vengeance  flamed; 

For  after  that  Jehovah  smiled, 

And  under  grace 
Was  born  the  child. 

The  beauty  of  the  place, 

Its  fruit  and  flower. 

Then  perished  in  that  hour; 

But  beauty  formed  in  childhood’s  face. 

This  high  and  holy  fane, 

Where  love’s  long  feast 
Forever  in  its  reign 
Has  had  no  priest. 

The  reason  is  the  mind 
Of  spirit.  And  the  kind 
Of  mind  that  beasts  possess, 

Man  also  knows. 

For  all  the  things  that  press 
To  good,  instincts  oppose — 

Within  his  soul. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


79 


And  when  the  spirit  finds 
A way  to  victory; 

*Tis  over  life,  ’tis  over  all. 

This  is  the  recessional: 

Back  to  eternity— 

From  time  and  tides  that  roll 
Before  the  angry  winds 
That  whip  the  soul. 

Condition  makes  the  place. 

And  habits  make  the  sum 
Of  life  defined.  But  trace 
The  living  back.  To  overcome 
What  man  has  made, 

Just  note  whatever  he  knows. 

For  on  beyond  pervade 
The  truths  that  will  disclose 
That  being  is.  And  in  repose, 
While  o’er  the  senses  passions  creep. 
In  everlasting  bliss 
The  spirits  sweep 
From  life  like  this. 

In  nothing  less  than  pain. 

All  beauties,  loves,  and  peace, 

In  course  again — 

Back  to  Aidenn — and  surcease 
Is  being,  living  life  again. 


80 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


In  a garden  when  the  dawn 
Of  real  life  begun, 

While  radiance  came  on 
From  the  sun, 

Standing  all  alone 
Came  to  me  in  undertone 
Voices  rare  in  friendliness. 

But  the  words  were  new. 

Their  meaning  only  I could  guess. 
Yet  I felt  I knew 
What  such  beings  would  express — 
“ Goodness  and  its  joyousness.” 

Once  I loved  a maiden  fair, 

Love  had  made  us  one. 

But  a doubt  made  shadows  flare 
On  the  face  of  my  paragon. 

Now  I feel  her  breath, 

Sweet  as  orchard’s  bloom, 

Come  from  cerements  of  death 
And  the  terror  of  the  tomb. 

What  a gloriance; 

I can  see  within  her  eyes 
Heaven’s  radiance. 

And  there  look  in  her  surprise, 

What  all  women  must  surmise : 

For  the  sweets  they  taste; 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


81 


And  the  tenderness, 

Can  never  go  to  waste 
Or  nothingness. 

Here  I make  for  all  a frame. 

MY  FRAME. 

“I  live,  I will  not  die. 

And  this  is  all  the  story; 

Not  here  below  nor  in  the  sky 
Shall  change  my  living  glory !” 

In  this  world  the  words  are  few. 

All  that  people  have  to  do 
Is  to  think  and  give  it  name. 

Just  to  think,  and  think  again. 

Live  and  love,  forget  the  pain. 

Thus  you  see 
I tried  to  vault  all  time. 

Eternity 

Defies  my  power  to  rhyme. 

Yet,  just  as  we  would  close 
Opens  here  again — 

The  dream — the  birth  of  my  repose 
Looks  out  on  pain. 

J 6 


82 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


A Smile  of  God 

God’s  smile  out  there  where  Cities  stand, 
First  seen  by  one  like  you  or  me, 

Was  but  a purple  dawn,  the  land — 

Had  caught  and  held  of  mystery. 

The  habits  grown  were  first  of  Myth. 

And  born  of  toil — The  parentage — 

'The  Spirit  that  had  dalliance  with — 

A world  to  give,  Man’s  heritage. 

The  trouble  is  the  Eace  is  led. 

And  will  not  walk  the  way  alone — 

To  eminence,  where  dawn  are  red, 

But  wait  the  Genius  to  atone. 

He  comes  and  then,  there  is  a change. 

A startled  world  of  men  behold, 
Addition  only  that  is  strange. 

The  principal  was  known  of  old. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


83 


Man’s  Glory 

I fell  flat-faced  against  the  sky. 

0,  Christ,  what  awful  plunging! 

My  God  help  me;  am  I dead? 

Or  am  I only  dreaming? 

I often  said,  while  my  heart  bled, 

Man’s  glory  is  his  sinning. 

It  makes  him  differ  from  his  God. 

And  angels’  state  declining. 

’Tis  contrast  makes  the  mind  expand. 

Now  hear  the  Savior  calling: 

“Come  unto  Me,  I’ll  make  you  free,” 

All  piteous  tears  are  falling. 

Why  babies  die  that  mothers  cry, 

The  joy  so  lately  given ! 

0,  see  the  gate  where  mothers  wait 
To  welcome  them  to  heaven! 

If  man  had  never  thought  to  sin, 

What  altar  fires  were  burning! 

What  thought  of  God  in  man  ordained. 
In  flame  of  passion  burning! 

I do  not  mean  to  say  that  man  must  sin, 
But  that  he  will  well  knowing 


84 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


That  what  he  . sows  he  sure  will  reap, 

He  keeps  on  sowing,  sowing. 

Yet  when  those  fields  are  worn  away, 
For  wear  away  they  will, 

The  hands  will  heal  from  thorns  and  toil 
Where  they  no  longer  till. 

Then  clean  and  pure  as  infant’s  dream 
From  earthly  strife  and  jars, 

And  trails  that  his  own  God  blazed  out, 
He’ll  lose  among  the  stars. 

The  Christ  has  died  yet  is  the  life; 

And  those  who  read  His  story, 

Will  hear  the  sobs  of  mercy  break 
Around  His  throne  of  glory. 

Some  day  divine  our  tears  will  shine 
To  shame  the  church-man’s  story; 

Our  pains  surcease  on  thrones  of  peace, 
Man’s  sinning  is  his  glory. 


and  other  poems. 


Theos 

The  day  will  sound  in  shouts  of  glee, 
And  all  because  a mystery — 

Has  sent  a Theos  as  a child, 

To  make  our  very  hearts  run  wild — 

In  loving  Him. 

The  night  has  lost  its  fearful  fame, 

And  in  its  lurid  hours  has  run 
The  golden  arrow  of  a sun, 

That  lights  a living  flame. 

This  Theos  came  a living  light, 

And  broke  the  sable  face  of  night, 

With  charm  of  word  and  speech, 

That  cause  the  souls  of  men  to  reach — 
The  throne  of  God. 

A life  beyond  the  mists  came  through, 
And  searching  found  the  humble  place — 
Where  Theos  lay  and  kissed  His  face — 
As  star-light  does  the  dew. 

To  know  the  person  is  the  plan : 

To  make  all  others  know  the  last, 
Impersonal — . 

He  emptied  out  His  Soul  and  passed 
Before  the  startled  gaze  of  man — 


86 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


And  after  that  He  came  and  stood — 
Before  His  fellow  men  and  said, 

“We  are  but  one  great  brotherhood, 

All  live  there  are  none  dead.” 

The  cross  the  emblem  of  all  shame: 
The  grave  the  end  of  earthly  strife, 

Are  only  forum  grounds  of  fame, 

And  cradle  couches  of  new  life — 

And  Christmas  Gift. 


Iteration 

The  decades  come  and  go: 

The  centuries  retreat ; 

And  like  the  Ocean’s  ebb  and  flow, 
Our  stories,  we  repeat. 

Our  stories,  we  repeat. 

And  that  is  all  the  Kace  may  know — 
“The  Human-Ocean’s  ebb  and  flow.” 

A few  on  eminence, 

In  light  of  day  and  night, 

Expose  the  range  and  prominence — 
Of  Genius  in  flight : 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


87 


Of  Genius  in  flight, 

Through  agony  and  pain  to  rise, 
Vicarious,  in  its  sacrifice. 

There  azure  figures  roam 
In  perfect  liberty. 

And  peeping  through  the  Ocean’s  foam 
A child  of  sun  and  sea 
Looks  back  on  Genius  at  home 
Prefixed  with  glory  yet  to  be. 

Beholding  from  afar, 

A dream  of  peace  unfold. 

As  night  unfolds  the  silvery  star, 

The  lines  of  truth  grow  bold — 

(No  Genius  yet  has  gone  to  war 
Nor  stayed  where  bloody  orgies  are.) 

So  Genius  sees  a world  afar 
In  love  with  joy  and  free  from  war. 

But  we  poor  mortals,  yes, 

We  of  the  lower  plain 

May  plod  our  weary  way  and  guess 

That  Life  repeats  again. 

That  Life  repeats  again. 

Its  weary  feet  again  must  press 
Our  darkened  paths  of  loneliness. 


88 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


The  Unseen  (?)  Seen 

Now,  while  we  look  not  at  the  things, 
The  naked  eyes  behold; 

We  see  the  forms,  the  spirit  brings, 
From  every-lasting  vanishings, 

Of  all,  to  that  the  sense  still  clings, 
The  world's,  eternal,  and  illume 
Our  life  with  glories  that  consume 
The  sorrows  of  the  Soul 


To  Oklahoma 

0‘er  airy  azure  autumn  haze, 

To  wandering  vision,  there  unfold 
The  flags  of  flame  on  fields  ablaze 
With  going  summer's  kiss  of  gold. 

And  of  the  wind  we  ask  it  whence — 
And  so  the  silvery  purple  dews — 
And  then  the  answer — Providence — 
At  work  on  magic  Avenues. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


89 


My  Own  World 

There  is  a world  and  it  is  mine. 
Though  poor  and  penniless, 

In  its  democracy  divine — 

I feel  unfretted  happiness. 

It  is  the  world  of  dreamless  sleep, 
And  void  of  every  care — 

Nor  whether  on  the  land  or  deep, 
Its  throne  is  even  there. 

It  is  not  death — the  border  line 
Of  this  fair  land  is  life — 

Is  life,  and  room,  and  no  repine, 
Nor  lust,  nor  grief,  nor  strife. 

I come  again  from  rest  sublime, 

An  exile  for  a day, 

But  know  I will  return  some  time 
And  never  come  away. 

But  when  I go  to  come  no  more, 
Across  the  mystic  deep, 

I hope  to  have  for  evermore 
The  rest  I have  in  sleep. 

Yea,  that  within  that  life  will  be — 
The  rest  of  sleep,  with  bliss, 

And  human  good  and  liberty 
We  partly  have  in  this. 


90 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Fate 

Masters  of  fate  are  they, 

Who  know  their  fate  and  feel 
A comradeship  with  life.  The  day 
Will  never  come  to  those  who  kneel 
And  prostrate  form  divinely  made 
Before  an  idol  of  a fear. 

That  high  and  buoyant  spell, 

Which  fills  the  heart  with  God 
Come  not  to  those  whose  birth  was  hell, 
But  those  whose  silver  sandals  trod 
Divine  highways  of  higher  birth. 

Thus  were  they  masters  true 
Of  life  and  love  and  earth 
With  fate.  And  so  to  you 
Who  travel  onward  now, 

It  is  a law  of  life 
And  not  of  faith  and  vow — 

Nor  envy  nor  in  strife, 

But  love  of  love  and  life. 


Pardon 

Against  the  rock,  amid  the  gloom, 

The  sigh  for  freedom  breaks; 

And,  arising  from  the  death-wet  tomb, 
Immortal,  man  awakes. 

Awakes  from  frightened  reverie 
In  God’s  own  gift — ’tis  liberty. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


91 


Conqueror 

There  is  in  mind  a conqueror, 

That  brings  about  fruition, 

And  dominates  all  error — 

His  name  is  Intuition. 

The  habits  of  all  insect  and  instinctive  life 
Are  under  his  control; 

About  his  throne  are  set  the  streams  of  strife, 
His  sanctuary  is  the  soul. 


A Tear  or  Blood  of  Joy 

I would  much  rather  drink— 

A tear  from  child-hood’s  eyes, 

If  only  one  could  think — 

To  fill  with  glad  surprise. 

Where  pain  was  in  control; 

Than  drink  the  joyous  blood— 
Of  all  the  grapes,  that  sink — 
A thoughtless  brotherhood 
In  fancy’s  levious  drink 
To  slake  the  thirst  of  soul. 


92 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


The  Rhyme  to  All 

The  world  with  pain  and  anguish. 
Like  vapor’s  forms  recede, 

And  the  heart  is  held  to  glory 

Thro’  words  which  weep  and  bleed. 

Who  through  the  days  of  travail, 
Have  longed  for  hours  of  ease, 

May  listen  to  the  music — 

Of  Christmas  melodies. 

The  songs  tho’  learned  in  Heaven, 
Are  rhymed  for  all  relief, 

And  like  the  thoughts  of  fortune 
Shall  silence  cries  of  grief. 

Though  for  a day  of  glory. 

May  Christians  lift  the  head, 

That  fell  on  love’s  heart  broken, 

And  praise  their  princely  dead. 

Who  gave  Himself  for  sorrow, 

A priest  of  sympathy. 

The  song  of  His  Heart  is  breaking 
In  Christmas  melody. 

Listen ! the  walls  of  silence 
Echo  the  swelling  rhyme, 

From  the  tongue  of  His  glory — 

The  God  of  Christmas  time. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


93 


Soul  Questions 

Once  upon  a time — 

In  a midnight  call  to  answer, 

Questions  put  by  my  own  soul, 

Such  as  these  then  pressed  for  answer; 

What  is  soul? 

Is  it  what  we  see  at  night, 

Moving  shadows  on  the  light, 

Like  elusive  thyme? 

Only  is  it  breath? 

Of  what  things  in  it’s  communion, 

Does  the  soul  with  strength  possessed 
Hold  in  grasp  of  living  union — 

In  its  breast? 

Is  it  worship  or  a song? 

Is  it  knowing  right  and  wrong? 

Is  it  fear  of  death? 

And  what  are  its  powers? 

Then  a spirit  of  persuasion, 

Of  the  silence  came  to  teach. 

That  the  questions  make  occasion 
For  the  speech; 

Of  the  soul  in  ecstacy, 

In  its  breast  of  melody, 

Vespering  the  hours. 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


.Running  ever  free, 

In  the  soul's  own  world  opinion, 
There  is  music  everywhere. 

Rhyme  and  rythm  hold  dominion 
In  the  air. 

And  the  voices  of  the  streams, 

Through  the  riffles  of  our  dreams, 
Make  a melody. 

Hear  the  story  roll! 

In  emotions  undulations  — 

Beat  all  accents  of  our  time. 

And  on  beauties  face  creations, 

Write  the  rhyme. 

When  you  feel  you'r  being  pressed — 
'Gainst  an  offered  love  caress — 

This  is  living  soul. 

Transfiguration 

Is  the  spirit's  thought  dominion, 

And  things  felt  are  never  wrong — 

In  this  world!,  but  on  the  pinion — 
Of  a song — 

Motion  is  the  music's  tune — 

And  a soul  is  being's  rune — 

Being's  creation. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


95 


My  Isle 

There  is  a place,  a beauty  place, 

An  Isle  out  in  the  soul. 

And  this  alway  has  been, 

We  move  right,  while  to  our  sight — 

The  light  on  the  Isle  is  seen — 

The  light  of  future  soul. 

This  beauty  Isle,  of  joy  and  smile — 
This  Isle  out  in  the  soul, 

Is  mine  I often  ween. 

For  on  my  sight,  when  I move  aright, 
The  light  on  the  Isle  Fve  seen — 

The  light  of  future  soul. 

But  0 the  goal,  in  sorrow’s  soul ! 

No  light!  No  joy!  No  smile — 

In  life  that’s  staggering. 

It’s  ashes  blown;  it’s  mocking  moan, 

In  seas  about  the  Isle — 

That  weep,  it’s  muttering. 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


To  Myself 

While  greeting  self  on  life’s  high-way, 
Where  naught  intrudes. 

The  Soul  will  ever  stray 
In  solitudes. 

There  seeming  sit  while  wonders  knit, 
Before  the  vision’s  inner  gaze, 

The  scenes  on  distant  tapestries, 

As  weird  of  weft  as  autumn’s  haze. 

And  thus  we  make  our  mysteries. 

Belated,  man  is  bold  and  wise; 

In  his  conceit, 

Invades  the  depths  and  domed  skies. 

But  in  retreat — 

He  cowering  clings  to  all  the  things, 
That  anchor  were  a calm  is  o’er — 

The  cove  wherein  his  life  began, 

A long  a beach;  upon  a shore, 

Where  ways  he  walks  for  ages  ran. 

And  so  I think  that  all  of  death 
Is  nothing  more 

Than  feeling  on  our  brow  the  breath 
An  alien  shore. 

In  strangeness  blows,  and  he  who  knows. 
The  lonely  moods  where  self  reclines 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


97 


Within  the  soul's  divine  repose, 

Is  master  of  what  hope  divines 
And  all  the  ages  can  disclose. 

But  fears — the  brood  of  monstrous  birth — 
Cold  handed  foes, 

That  tangle  all  the  paths  of  earth 
With  human  woes,  ♦ 

And  on  our  tears  the  passing  years 
Reflect  in  life's  blue  rolling  stream, 

The  stars  that  shine  a pale  grey  light 
Against  the  canopy,  a dream 
Draws  out  upon  a range  of  night. 

Yea,  fear,  the  sickness  life  endures; 

That  every  smile 
Is  broken  with  and  ever  yours 
To  battle,  while 
You  seek  relief  from  any  grief. 

The  day  in  dawn  begins  to  reign 
And  sits  about  these  forms  in  light 
The  mystery  of  dread  and  pain. 

Then  pleasure  sighing  hides  in  flight. 

Envoy. 

Religion : Man’s  best  friend,  for  there 
Ascends  the  Soul 
Above  the  flowing  tears  that  flare. 

And  storms  that  roll 

J 7 


98 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Against  the  upturned  face 
Of  man  in  prayer. 

And  man  in  prayer  with  words  for  grace 
Addressed  to  God,  askes  not  in  vain, 

For  over  every  stony  place 

He  will  proceed  and  laugh  at  pain. 

The  Sword  at  the  Gate 

Thorns  are  hanging  every-where 
To  hurt  the  tender  hand 
That  plucks  the  flower,  there, 

Where  mingled  stand, 

The  thorn  tree  and  the  stem 
That  wears  dear  beauty’s  diadem. 

Paths,  uneven,  leading  where. 

The  cross  of  cruel  shame, 

Has  held  the  world’s  sad  care, 

And  led  to  fame, 

Are  Traveled  o’er  as  when 

They  first  were  worn  by  manly  men. 

Scaling  high  to  place  a name 
Upon  the  ages  stone. 

Has  caused  a man,  for  fame, 

To  stand  alone, 

And  in  his  madness  seem — 

A searcher  in  a hidden  dream. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


99 


Toiling  ones  and  artists  who, 

Amid  the  thorns  and  bloom, 

Are  looking  ages  through, 

See  to  the  tomb. 

For  there,  all  there,  retreat 
Beyond  where  pain  and  glory  meet. 

Love  yea,  love  is  heaven’s  name 
Upon  the  lips  of  men. 

The  emptiness  of  fame 

They  know,  and  when 

The  heart  has  ceased  to  lend 

IFs  charm,  they  go  beyond  the  end. 

Man  and  Woman  hold  the  pass 
To  Eden  and  the  gate, 

Where  flames  the  sword,  alas, 
Relentless  fate, 

That  watcher  of  the  sky, 

Will  let  no  single  person  by. 

Secret  are  the  words  that  fate 
Will  hear;  to  only  three. 

Their  messages  relate. 

Eternity — 

Itself  can  never  trace. 

With  their  true  tale,  another  face. 


100 


. MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


But  men,  true  men,  watching  while 
The  dolts  and  sluggards  sleep 
See,  like  the  dawn,  a smile 
Through  darkness  peep. 

To  them  the  smile  is  light  — 

Upon  the  pass  and  gates  of  night. 

Sweet,  how  sweet,  when  all  is  o’er 
Of  each  days  heavy  task, 

To  such  behind  the  door 
Of  home,  there  ask 
And  get  her/  her  part — 

“The  pass-word”  to  the  world  of  heart. 


The  Wold  of  Soul  vs.  the  Wold  of  Man 

Within  two  worlds  we  live, 

With  life  insured  to  each — 

The  one  upon  the  surface  lies ; 

The  other’s  upward  reach— 

Is  hidden  from  surprise. 

That  only  feelings  give. 

The  inner  life  is  all  our  own. 

Its  course  is  reason’s  way. 

Around  it  in  the  night 
A radiance  turns  the  dark  to  day, 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


101 


And  pours  refulgent  light 
Upon  its  single  throne. 

Within  this  inner  life,  whose  secrets  hold, 
The  self-things  of  our  care, 

No  one  can  enter  there. 

No  one  may  come  to  see 
This  world,  where  all  is  free, 

In  reason’s  individual  wold. 

The  surface  life  is  open  wide. 

Upon  its  rusting  hinges  swing, 

The  instincts  that  arouse, 

The  passions  to  the  wing ; 

And  bacchus  to  carouse, 

With  sirens  on  a swollen  tide. 

Its  secrets  are  revolt  and  pain. 

Between  the  nights  and  days. — 

Are  periods  of  its  restless  sleeps; 

Along  dark  devious  ways. 

Its  bleeding  heart  forever  weeps; 

And  weeps  and  weeps  in  vain. 

The  master  ruler  of  the  earth — 

Is  man — the  man  in  full  control, 

Who  knows  the  laws  of  life  within ; 

Who  knows  the  instincts  of  the  soul : 
Who  knows  that  living  is  not  sin; 

That  living  is  the  child  of  birth. 


102 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


He  and  he  alone  is  master  still. 
Where  chaos  seems  to  chide 
The  Euler  over  all, 

This  man  turns  chance  aside; 
In  mystery’s  confessional. 
Absolves  the  human  will. 


An  Unbelief 

Away  on  the  winds  are  the  soul  of  flowers. 
They  are  breathing  their  breath  of  air ; 

They’re  in  the  whirl  of  the  storm’s  wild  powers 
They  are  leaving  their  death  in  all  the  hours 
That  their  living  once  made  so  fair. 

Away  on  the  wings  of  our  fleeing  hours 
We  are  sending  our  love  that  brings,  . 

Where  we  stand  on  the  peak  that  towers, 

All  the  summit  of  time  that  life  makes  ours, 
In  the  moments'that  die,  the  souls  of  things. 

So  then  of  the  day  in  the  moments  that  fly, 
With  their  story  of  joy  and  grief, 

We  are,  if  we  know,  whatever  we  try, 
Immortal  in  love,  and  those  who  sigh — 

Are  sighing,  alas,  for  unbelief. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


103 


The  mornings  are  here  and  living  is  wooed, 
Of  all  who  will  open  their  eyes, 

And  see  for  themselves  that  a solitude — 

Is  a myth  of  the  mind  and  a brotherhood. 
In  all  things  is,  more  than  a mere  surmise. 


A Dream  of  Life 

I stand  upon  these  rugged  coasts, 

And  see  the  sails  afar. 

Which  carry  out  the  hopeful  hosts. 

To  that  lone  star. 

That  rose  with  healing  in  the  wing, 

Amid  mysterious  might — 

Amid  the  songs  the  angels  sing. 

And  flung  his  light. 

Across  the  tideless,  Stygian  stream, 
Whose  shores  of  death  shone  red. 

With  age’s  tangled  hope  and  dream, 
There  lying  dead. 

And  stirred  the  dead  with  future  life — 
That  future  life  began. 

When  earth  rolled  from  chaotic  strife-, 

A home  for  man. 


i 


104:  MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 

I see  the  way  those  sails  have  run, 

That  carried  all  those  hosts, 

Who  stirred  to  life  beneath  the  sun 
That  lights  these  coasts. 

I see  some  tired,  who  wish  to  sail; 

They  wait  the  homeward  trip  ; 

And  murmur  at  each  shore  blown  gale 
Against  the  ship. 

To  these  the  star,  a sun  becomes, 

And  in  the  golden  light 
There  rises  palaces  for  homes, 

Out  of  the  night. 

They  see  in  all  those  trails  of  light, 

That  lay  across  the  streams — 

Of  change,  that  fills  the  heart  with  fright — 
Kebuilded  dreams. 


A Xmas  Trenody 

0,  Jesus,  are  thou  still  the  Christ? 

The  centuries  are  fled — 

So  long  0 Lord,  since  in  your  tryst 
The  living  and  the  dead — 

Were  met  with  you  in  life’s  immortality, 
Beholding  in  your  face  Eternity. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


105 


The  lonely  years  without  a Lord, 

Save  that  one  in  a frame 

And  under  writ  “He  is  the  sacred  Word,” 

Come  fall  upon  his  name; 

0 Lord  as  Mary  leaned  against  thy  breast, 

We  too,  would  lean  and  there  find  Christmas  rest. 

The  sweep  of  time  and  play  of  years 
Are  o’er  the  voiceless  tomb, 

For  only  thou  looked  through  our  fears, 

To  see  beyond  the  gloom — 

What  never  yet  our  mortal  eyes  fell  on— 

The  purple  east  of  everlasting  dawn. 

A baby  sleeps  beneath  the  snow, 

And  there  a mother  weeps. 

And  only  given  her  to  know 
How  through  our  sorrow  creeps, 

To  see  through  faith  thy  face  dear  Lord, 

A vision  that  is  faltered  in  the  barren  word. 

Two  thousand  years  have  wasted  since, 

Above  the  desert’s  dust, 

Amid  the  mystics  came  a prince 
And  held  the  futures  trust. 

Upon  a cross  where  perished  sin  and  shame 
He  struck  a new  and  kindlier  altar  flame 


106 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


And  this  is  all ! Yes  all  of  Him. 

The  long,  long,  weary  years, 

Have  made  his  holy  face  grow  dim, 

Dim  like  remembered  tears. 

The  Season  yet  is  here  and  childhood’s  glee 
Is  one  resounding  echo  of  Eternity. 


The  Moods  of  Mercy 

A gentle  spirit  and  divine  revenge 
Are  brooding,  like  a mother’s  love  above 
Her  burying  place;  o’er  all  the  world.  The  winds, 
That  wail  the  tempest’s  voice  from  yonder  home 
Where  thunder  keeps  a place  and  makes  his  fire 
In  tongues  of  flame,  re-echo  pleadings  tones 
Of  man  in  tears.  (The  voice  of  mercy  drown’d 
Beneath  tumult  of  harpies  of  the  clouds.) 

But  Hope  o’er  these  is  capable,  and  man 
May  rise  in  faith  and  build  again  his  house. 

When  human  hate  is  spent,  a scar  of  fate, 

In  just  one  flash  is  burned  upon  the  soul — 

A fellow  man  is  hurt — the  earth  nor  hell 

Can  dim  the  sign,  “This  wrong  was  done  by  Man.” 

However  done, 

In  hate,  in  carelessness,  unholy  pride 
Can  never  stay,  whenever  tried,  the  flail 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


107 


Of  just  revenge.  Whoever  makes  his  mooch 
In  Mercy’s  holy  realm,  to  fix  his  fame 
On  fallen  men,  will  fail.  His  feet  will  slip. 

Wherever  falls  a man — there,  too,  hope  fails. 

And  faith,  defeated,  lies  prostrate;  her  face 
Against  the  clouds.  Omnipotence  will  hear; 

And  punish  fratricides  exalted  so. 

Hope  in  the  broken  breast, 

With  faith,  bends  mournfully  above  the  tomh 
Where  sleep  ambition’s  cherished  dreams;  and  seeks 
With  vision’s  inner  eye  to  find  a star. 

Whose  light  is  falling  gently  on  the  dead — 

The  dead — those  happy  dreams — the  comrades  of 
A lonely  perished  hour,  when  fate  began 
To  be  to  man  a more  than  silent  friend. 

Who  would  be  coward  strike  a blow  and  make 
The  blood  to  run  with  tears;  but  know  you  strike 
The  pale  pure  face  of  Mercy,  too. 

How  shameful  of  man, 

Whom  fate  has  favored  with  a spell  of  pow’r, 

To  sit  above  his  fellow  men  and  blast 
Their  best  desires.  The  wives  who  ever  keep, 

As  souvenirs  of  love,  the  bonds  of  faith, 

Shall  hold  their  aprons  up  to  weeping  eyes : 

Their  fevered  hearts  will  know  that  man  supreme 
Can  drive  delight  behind  the  frowning  clouds 


108 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Of  high  authority.  And  children  who 

May  climb  the  knee,  the  parent’s  kiss  to  have, 

Shall  look  upon  the  faces  drawn  in  woe. 

Then  from  their  own  young  lips  the  song  will  cease. 
And  die  away  like  distant  music  on 
Eolian  harps  by  evening  strung. 

Hark ! Nemesis  now  speaks : 

She  is  a friend  of  Mercy  and  is  true. 

The  man  who  in  the  service  of  his  kind, 

Can  after  time  has  done  with  him,  look  back, 

And  see  the  face  of  friendship  beaming  where 
It  was  his  lot  to  work,  will  surely  know 
That  Nemesis  and  Mercy  were  but  one, 

The  blood  of  Him  who  over  all  prevails. 

Then  calling  him  to  destiny,  he  can 
Face  God,  and  go  away  from  labor  till, 

Like  scented  flower  hid  amid  the  winds, 

In  dying  that  isn’t  death,  he  reaches  home. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


109 


Irene 

I was  standing  in  the  sunlight 
As  he  threw  his  evening  fuse 

Cross  the  rolling,  playing  waters 
To  the  city,  Santa  Cruz. 

At  my  feet  the  ocean  thundered, 

High  the  voice  rose  here  and  there, 

And  the  lips  that  love  the  mountains 
Answered  in  the  echo’s  blare. 

On  the  winds  the  soul  of  flowers 
Passed  with  free  and  pleasing  grace, 

With  the  ocean’s  pealing  thunder 
To  a glorious  sylvan  place. 

Sun’s-fane  fell  and  stars  unnumbered, 
O’er  the  City  by  the  sea, 

Hung  their  lamps  to  watch  the  slumber 
Of  the  nodding  pines  and  me. 

In  an  old  skiff  by  the  landing, 

I took  my  vigil  stand ; 

Saw  the  moon’s  blood  stain  the  water, 
And  the  tide’s  path  the  sand. 

Here  I sat  till  midnight’s  order, 

Bade  the  water’s  ranks  retreat; 


110 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Then  I rose  to  seek  the  city. 

And  in  dreams  my  thoughts  complete. 

When  a vision  rose  before  us — 

A rare  exhalation  free, 

Eose  and  came  and  laughed  a presciene, 

Of  a joy  to  come  to  me. 

All  the  night  I walked  on  wonder, 

Up  and  down  the  vale  of  strife, 

Just  as  stars  fell  dim  and  dying 
And  the  day  stood  up  in  life. 

While  the  mountains  seemed  as  eyebrows 
On  the  forehead  of  a dream, 

And  the  bay  as  racy  fancy  ruffles 
Tides  to  make  its  stream. 

Yet  the  city  lay  in  slumber, 

With  her  head  against  the  hill ; 

And  the  noisy  voice  of  nature, 

Drunk  with  dew,  was  hushed  and  still. 

Saw  the  maiden  of  this  vision, 

Bright  as  stars  that  run  the  skies, 

And  she  brought  the  joy  of  morning 
Peeping  through  her  glorious  eyes. 

Irene  (the  morning  vow.) 

Fair  as  May  in  rosy  setting 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


Ill 


Was  the  face  of  my  Irene. 

Standing  in  the  early  morning 
By  the  sunlight's  golden  stream, 
Gathered  up  the  dark  and  tangled 
Passing  night; 

And  our  dreaming  that  so  bound  us, 
Hid  them  in  her  smile  of  light. 

While  the  shimmer  on  her  tresses, 

Fallen  from  the  youthful  sun, 

Looked  like  woven  dark  of  mid-night 
With  some  seams  of  gold-light  run 
In  the  fabric  of  the  gloom. 

Every  air, 

Playing  there  in  whispers 
Sung  that  my  true  love  is  fair. 

Thus  she  came  to  me  while  passion 
Quickened  life's  uplifting  glame, 

And  the  gladness  on  her  features 
Shown  like  clouds  with  sun  aflame. 
Hope's  high  dream  our  soul's  enraptured 
With  a breath, 

And  our  lips  held  loving  congress 
While  we  whispered,  “until  death." 

Soft  as  dew  falls  on  the  water, 

Or  the  mist  on  dale  and  chine, 

Gentle  as  a bud's  unfolding. 


112 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Sweet  to  me  as  sun  made  wine — 

Is  the  myth  the  morning  found  me, 
By  the  sunlit  stream, 

Robed  in  tangled  fancy’s  velvet, 
And  the  mystery  of  dream. 


Ideal  Presence 

PERSONIFICATION- 

She  brought  a frame  of  Ideal  Presence, 

Out  of  the  viewless  space, 

And  through  it  looked  emotion 
With  its  halo  veiling  her  face. 

And  Oh  I thought  of  the  world  behind  her, 
The  place  of  her  sweet  retreat 
Where  tides  of  passion  forever. 

Break  on  a beach  at  her  feet. 

“Can  you  see?”  was  a Godess  speaking? 

“This  beautiful,  beautiful  place? 

Here  Burns  and  Mary  are  crooning, 

On  the  azure  stairs  of  space.” 

0 now  I know  the  unwritten  story — 

Of  the  world  that  ever  seems. 

To  come  in  her  smile  with  its  glory. 

And  creep  in  my  heart  in  dreams. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


113 


Sweet,  Sweet,  tender  notes. 

O’er  the  swells  of  welcome  rime, 

From  her  voice  that  fleeingly  floats 
On  the  torn  out  pieces  of  time, 

Is  music,  whose  thralling  tone, 

In  her  lips  as  I press, 

Imprison  my  own  * * * 

In  holy  joyousness. 

Sweet  singer  sing  me  to  heaven. 

Back  on  your  glory  trace, 

Woman,  Woman!  This  way  from  Eden; 
And  ever  press  your  face, 

To  the  door  of  templed  air, 

So  I will  come  up  to  you, 

On  the  steps  of  the  azure  stair — 

That  rests  on  the  Opals  in  dew. 


Kokogee 

I see  afar 
A fairy  star 

And  in  the  light  that  streams 
Across  the  space, 

I frame  my  hopes  and  dreams 
On  her  red  face. 

J 8 


114 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Along  the  trail. 

At  every  camp, 

This  red  maid  came  to  me, 
When  stars  grew  pale 
Her  weary  tramp 
Would  end  to  her  triumphantly. 

And  Kokogee, 

My  own  red  heart, 

Has  crossed  the  trail  to  see 
The  vales  that  part, 

Our  own  dear  fen, 

And  watching  asks  us  when? 


My  Dream  Face — The  Form  of  Love 

Dream,  0 Dream ! For  Earthly  pleasures 
When  the  form  of  love  eludes, 

Fall,  as  fall  the  ghostly  shadows, 

On  the  forests  solitudes. 

Hear  an  anguish  unrelenting, 

Turns  to  joy  and  learns  to  know. 

One,  unseen,  Yet  who  is  living, 

In  my  life  of  cherished  woe. 

Years,  long  years,  a sleeping  beauty. 

Lay  before  my  anxious  gaze; 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


115 


All  this  time  I have  been  looking, 
Through  an  irridescent  haze; 

Looking  for  her  perfect  features, 

By  the  light  my  passions  threw — 

On  her  hidden  blush  of  glory. 

That  my  intuition  knew. 

Longing,  longing,  while  I treasure, 

All  I know,  within  my  breast; 

And  her  dim  defined  picture, 

To  my  hungry  lips  is  pressed. 

Looking  for  a face  as  tender, 

As  the  lily’s  in  the  light, 

When  the  Moon  displays  her  splendor, 
On  its  lips  that  kiss  the  night. 

Woman’s?  No,  a face  of  girl-hood. 

She  I missed  amid  a throng. 

As  I stood  entranced  with  rapture, 
'While  a Siren  sung  a song. 

She  was  there,  I felt  her  presence, 

Soft  as  velvet  of  the  flowers, 

Wooing,  though  unseen,  I passed  her. 
And  the  life  that  should  be  ours. 

As  I seek,  I often  ponder, 

If  her  beauty  and  her  grace, 

May  not  come  in  living  splendor — 

On  some  other  maiden’s  face. 


116 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Yet,  I know  the  wish  must  vanish; 
For  that  face  her  youth  refined, 

Left  me  as  the  day  leaves  darkness, 
And  my  boy-hood  eyes  are  blind. 

Gentle  as  a bud’s  unfolding, 

To  the  Morning’s  virgin  light, 

On  my  lonely  hours  and  longing— 
Comes  a dream  of  her  to  night. 

In  the  lamp  flare  features  gather, 
Dimly,  shadow  forth,  in  Norm, 

And  I seem,  at  last  to  hold  her 
In  my  heart’s  endowed  form. 


Songs 

The  birds  have  come  with  their  songs  of  the  South, 
To  hold  their  jubilees; 

And  join  the  wind  in  filling  its  mouth 
With  musical  mysteries. 

We  hear  their  songs  and  make  up  our  own, 

Our  sad,  sad  trenodies. 

That  cry  of  pain  and  died  in  a moan. 

And  love’s  sweet  melodies. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


Where  are  these  tones  before  they  are  sent, 
To  lips  that  sing  of  pain? 

Are  they  the  echoes  of  a lament, 

Of  some  who  lived  in  vain? 

Are  melodies  that  thrill  us  to  peace, 

The  music  others  bring. 

When  life  is  lived  that  finds  a release, 

In  harmony  we  sing? 

I reach  my  hands  to  her  through  a song, 
She  used  to  sing  to  me; 

And  beg  her  soul  to  save  me  from  wrong, 
To  love’s  sweet  melody. 

* 

To  Helen  Hunt  Jackson 

Where  a vigil,  kept  by  them, 

Who  have  made  a diadem, 

For  a woman  fair  and  free — 

As  the  soul  of  melody; 

Mountains  bend  a shadow  bow 
On  the  ev’ning’s  purple  glow, 

As  the  sun’s  relucent  light 
Throws  a glory  over  night. 


118 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


On  a jag’ed  range  where  snow 
Starts  the  rivers  on  their  flow, 
Linger  last  the  golden  beams, 

Soft  as  when  a baby  dreams. 

And  as  moon-light  o’er  the  crest, 
Like  a silver  blanket  prest, 

On  the  mountain’s  fastness  creeps, 
Helen  goes  up  there  and  weeps. 

But  her  song  the  west  will  own — 
Sing  it  where  she  made  her  throne; 
Tame  the  echoes  of  the  range. 

To  her  words  so  rare  and  strange. 

Words  that  wove  the  west  in  lore. 
Fair  as  faces  gloated  o’er. 

There  where  mountain  spirits  roam, 
Helen  Hunt  is  now  at  home. 


The  Divinest  Thing 

Oh,  sing  me  no  song  of  heaven, 

Nor  passion  of  lovers  who  weep; 
But  trill  me  a lullaby  given 
By  mothers  to  baby  asleep. 

’Tis  good  to  see  lovers  wooing. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


119 


And  kissing  the  lips  of  life’s  morn; 

But  grander,  diviner  the  cooing, 

Of  a mother  to  her  first  new-born. 

0,  glorious  God  bom  rapture ! 

Here  nature  blooms  its  sweetest  and  best, 
And  joys  high  wines  colature 

Are  brewed  in  a young  mother’s  breast. 

Why  sing  of  lovers  and  passion; 

Of  love’s  gay  laughter  and  kiss? 

The  song  has  grown  old  in  fashion, 

While  mother’s  love  is  still  true  bliss. 


* 


Venus 

Yonder  in  the  heavens, 

By  the  raging  flame  of  Mars, 
Stays  a royal  maiden, 

And  her  robe  is  golden, 

Ruffled  with  the  stars. 

And  the  falling  of  her  tresses 
In  the  shimmer  of  the  light, 

Lays  the  features  of  the  morning 
On  the  dying  face  of  night. 


120 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


In  a world  of  loving, 

By  the  hearth  of  every  home, 
Smiles  this  royal  maiden, 

As  in  times  of  olden, 

On  the  soul’s  eternal  Borne. 

And  the  gladness  in  her  features 
Fills  the  life  with  wild  delight, 
Giving  Earth  its  highest  pleasure, 
Queen  of  love  and  smile  of  night. 


Love 

This  is  a happy,  happy  time: 

This  is  a healthy,  healthy  clime  : 

This  is  a merry,  merry  rime: 

And  this  fair  state 

Belongs  to  man  to  make  sublime, 

And  penetrate. 

Beyond  the  ways  that  lie  along — 

The  paths  where  only  in  our  song — 

We’ve  found  the  past  has  wandered  wrong — 
In  seeking  wealth. 

We  go  for  man  is  rich  and  strong 
With  love  and  health. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


121 


An  idle  King  in  robes  of  state, 

May  sit  a throne  and  oft  relate. 

The  stories  of  the  ancient  great, 

Of  crime  refined. 

But  see  amid  the  clouds  they  aviate — 
The  Kings  of  mind. 

How  long  can  man  respect  a King, 
Who  is  the  shame  the  ages  fling — 
Upon  the  present?  WTio  will  sing 
The  King’s  great  name. 

While  soaring  yonder  on  the  wing 
Is  better  fame, 

How  long  can  justice  stay  the  hand, 
That  comes  to  write  for  every  land, 
Anew  the  laws  as  rights  expand 
Before  the  mind? 

Will  not  the  future  nobly  stand 
For  all  mankind? 

The  miles  of  space  above  the  earth 
Are  full  of  voice  today,  The  birth 
Of  modern  mind  in  its  own  worth 
On  time  and  space. 

Has  made  a larger  world.  Its  girth — 
The  human  race. 


1 22 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Amid  the  clouds  that  bring  the  night, 
The  cities  stand  in  flaring  light. 
Against  the  skies,  a rhetoric  bright 
Of  man’s  disdain — 

To  every  challenge  of  his  might, 

He  would  obtain. 

Yet,  across  the  dim  life  line. 

The  threading  ways  objectives  line, 
Man  seeks  in  vain.  His  race  repine 
Is  spirit  still — 

The  voice  of  heart — the  voice  divine, 
And  not  the  will. 

Within  is  love — the  mystic  tie. 

The  pictures  in  the  heart  that  lie. 

Of  all  the  lengths  of  earth  and  sky 
That  we  invade. 

Are  faces  seen  as  we  go  by — 

They  never  fade. 

So  you  again  have  only  said, 

In  words  of  love  to  h — — h’s  dead. 
But  in  the  world  above  your  head 
“I  love  thee  still” 

Is  being  of  the  heart,  not  dead. 

Death  is  of  will. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


123 


Of  all  man’s  fame  how  idle  all, 

To  give  him  happiness?  The  pall 
Must  cover,  like  the  snows  that  fall 
Upon  the  flowTs, 

The  best  he  does.  His  farthest  call — 

To  hidden  pow’rs. 

The  providence  of  forms  to  meet: 

The  providence  of  their  retreat: 

The  providence  where  Spirit  greet, 

Unseen  to  cling, 

In  love  and  passions  strange  grown  sweet; 
Of  these  I sing. 


The  Song  We  Never  Sing 

There  is  a song  we  never  sing. 

Yet  music  is  its  voice. 

It  is  the  Genus  over  everything. 

That  makes  the  soul  rejoice. 

The  house-wife  sings  a single  verse. 

She  knows  no  other  part, 

With  all  there  is  to  her  she  holds  commerce 
And  hums  a rhythm  of  the  heart. 


124 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


The  plowman  on  his  way  afield. 

His  burden  lighter  grows, 

Because  he  too  in  joy  has  learned  to  yield, 

This  minstrel  of  repose. 

The  laborer  and  the  milk  maid  meet, 

Behind  the  great  red  barn, 

And  there  they  tell  of  hopes  and  dreams  so  sweet — 
That  music  chants  their  yarn. 

While  passing  I heard  a woman  sing, 

A lay  of  this  great  tune, 

(As  rocking  to  and  fro)  to  her  offspring 
Her  words  of  joy  “croon,  croon.” 

So  every  where  in  mart  and  hall, 

In  victory  and  reverse — - 

Who  stands  above  the  storms  or  ever  fall, 

Will  feel  to  sing  a verse. 

Above  all  other  moods,  and  free 
Ffom  everything  that’s  vain, 

In  every  heart,  weeps  out  this  ministry 
To  anguish  and  to  pain. 

Above  all  other  moods  and  free 
When  soul  to  soul  ahoy. 

We  run  to  greet  this  singer  on  the  sea, 

And  land  with  faith  and  joy. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


125 


Old  Man,  It’s  True 


Every  man  has  absent  loves, 

He  never  will  relate, 

The  sweets  he  drinks  when  e’er  he  moves 
Amid  the  past  all  passionate. 

/When  o’er  his  face,  it  may  be  gray. 

Some  pleasure  in  a smile  will  creep, 
Remember  this,  he  sees  another  day, 

And  bends  to  kiss  the  other  love  to  sleep. 


Woman — she  is  free;  she  loves  but  one, 
The  present  only  touches  her. 

When  once  she  loves,  her  all  is  done. 

At  once  and  all,  she  is  a worshipper. 
Those  smiles  that  seem  to  chase 
Each  other  like  the  poet’s  rhyme, 
Across  her  little  wifey  face, 

Are  children  of  “one  only  time.” 


126 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Mystic  Love 

You  can  make  the  future  bring, 

All  the  hope  has  made  for  me, 

Then  upon  the  offering, 

Let  me  hold  my  love  to  thee. 

0,  Great  God,  let  me  caress; 

Me  caress. 

In  her  form  all  loveliness; 
Loveliness. 

While  with  you  a wonderment. 

Like  a heaven  overhead, 

Flecked  with  stars  and  perfect  bent 
Over  all  my  life  is  spread. 

0,  the  mystic  spell  you  throw, 

Spell  you  throw, 

On  my  heart/ s life  do  you  know? 
Do  you  know? 

Close,  0 close,  your  person  press, 
And  my  very  being  hold; 

In  a lover’s  love  caress ; 

With  a lover’s  love  be  bold. 

Love  is  being’s  upward  flight — 
Upward  flight, 

In  the  radiance  of  light; 

In  the  light. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


127 


May  I feel  your  spirit  cling, 

To  my  soul  in  joyousness, 

While  your  lips  are  muttering 
Passion’s  playful  carlessness? 

0,  the  glory  of  the  soul ; 

Of  the  soul. 

When  emotion’s  tides  o’er  roll — 
All  the  soul. 

iLet  me  see  into  your  eyes — 

For  a picture  of  myself — 

Drawn  in  that  supreme  surprise — 
When  your  soul  became  myself — 
And  the  picture  draw  anew — 
Draw  anew — 

Picture  of  myself  in  you; 

Draw  anew. 

Give,  0 give,  your  lips  to  mine ; 

Lips  that  sweetly  taught  me  love; 
Press  them  hard  for  passion’s  wine, 
To  intoxicate  my  love. 

Come,  my  lovely  one,  again, 

Once  again. 

Lest  you  come,  my  life  is  vain; 

Life  is  vain. 

But  my  love  to  life  is  dead. 

To  my  spirit  home  she’ll  bring, 


128  MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 

When  to  earthly  joys  I’m  dead. 

Hex  great  heart  and  everything. 

I can  feel  her  wooing  me; 

Wooing  me; 

Through  the  mists  of  mystery, 
Wooing  me. 

The  Voice  of  Kissing 

The  smack  of  a kiss. 

Of  sweetened  bliss 

Is  the  voice  of  holy  passion; 

The  word  of  a creed 
Whose  loving  seed 
Is  sown  in  olden  fashion. 

And  sowers  may  weep, 

A wild  love  to  sleep, 

Yet  hear  the  echo  of  passion. 

At  pleasure  and  you, 

What  memories  look  through, 

The  lips  as  they  speak  in  meeting; 

The  woes  that  perplex 
In  thrill  of  sex 

Are  rent  like  the  clouds  and  as  feeling, 
On  all  things  calling — 

To  death  from  youth’s  early  greeting. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


129 


Old  nature  will  pout, 

When  feeling  wears  out, 

And  ask  “Does  love  kill  faith  living?” 
But  who  will  not  cling, 

To  joys  that  spring, 

When  sex  stood  lovely,  inviting? 

And  seek  for  the  eyes 
That  look  out  of  skies 
Where  Jehovah  is  relenting: 

0 joy  of  the  thought. 

When  our  loving  wrought, 

The  spell  of  birth  and  of  feeling; 

And  opened  to  view, 

To  me  and  you, 

A world  for  hearts  own  creating. 

A sweep  and  a birth 
And  the  best  of  earth 
Is  felt  in  passions  unfolding. 


An  Antithesis  of  Life 

Twas  in  the  Night  and  all  around, 

A silence  seemed  to  close — 

About  the  time,  without  a sound, 

The  day  with  sweet  repose. 

J 9 


130 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


And  when  the  Moon  in  silvery  sheen, 
Illumed  the  darkened  skies — 

My  soul  passed  thro’  the  dreamer’s  ken. 
And  gave  of  his  surmise. 

Before  my  eyes  two  men  appeared: 

They  came  as  tho’  they  sought, 

My  pen  to  write  ‘how  they  appeared 
In  life  as  they  had  wrought.’ 

While  one  bore  marks  of  storms  in  life : 

He  did  not  hesitate, 

But  told  his  tale  of  living  strife, 

“A  fearful  fight  with  fate.” 

His  childhood  heard  wars  wild  aclaim, 
Strike  terror  to  the  soul : 

And  list’ning  to  the  tramp  of  fame, 

Like  thunder’s  mighty  roll, 

He  felt  the  fall  of  mother’s  tears — 

Hpon  his  infant  face; 

So  that  in  all  the  after  years, 

His  destiny  would  trace — 

Across  the  fields  where  heaps  of  dead, 
Were  piled  as  ricks  of  wood, 

Until  he  leaned  where  Father’s  bled, 

And  then  he  understood. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


131 


His  heart  was  right;  his  labor  fair, 

But  all  he  touched  would  turn, 

To  ashes  and  his  honest  care. 

Would  haunt  and  hurt  and  bum. 

His  every  fault — a child  could  trace; 

No  cunning  could  he  hide, 

But  wore  his  worth  upon  his  face: 

His  weakness  ne’r  denied. 

A stranger  found  his  humble  board, 

A royal  place  to  feed: 

This  son  of  birth  beneath  the  sword, 
Was  friend  to  them  in  need. 

The  other  man  was  white  with  age; 

His  words  he  measured  quite, 

As  tho’  he  feared  that  to  engage, 

My  pen  was  hardly  right. 

His  was  a life  amid  the  best* 

The  social  class  can  give: 

And  as  he  walked  the  way  out  west 
His  charities  would  live. 

To  brighten  gifts  that  come  from  pelf; 

Like  fountains  of  the  plains, 

That  gush  and  run,  he  hid  himself — 
Beneath  some  borrowed  rains. 


132 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


His  speech  to  me  was  but  pretense  ; 

His  life  was  mockery. 

And  crouching  in  the  recompense. 

He  plead  his  treachery. 

Then  standing  by  the  monument, 
Erected  as  his  stone, 

I read  on  it  the  testament. 

His  dupes  gave  to  atone. 

Atone  to  him  for  what  he  stole ; 

They  thought  they  did  him  wrong. 
And  had  he  reached  ambition’s  goal, 

His  fame  had  rolled  in  song. 

Unmarked  the  grave  of  him,  whom  birth, 
Had  hobbled  when  a child ; 

He  slept  beneath  a patch  of  earth 
Where  briers  growing  wild — 

Made  monument  that  fitted  well, 

With  what  his  life  had  been. 

He  knew  of  pain ; of  earthly  hell : 

No  glory  had  he  seen. 

Hypocracy ! How  often  you  pay. 

When  honety  must  fail, 

Because  of  what  some  others  say* — 
Makes  fame  or  slander’s  tale. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


133 


0,  some  may  live  and  hide  their  shame  ; 

Succeed  and  live  in  ease; 

Hypoeracy  give  them  a name, 

And  coin  that  wants  appease. 

While  others  toil  as  best  they  may — 
Their  faces  ever  wet. 

With  tears  unspent  of  yesterday. 

The  ages  won’t  forget. 

0 MYSTERY!  How  stern  in  life? 

How  partial  when  you  will? 

You  give  to  some  a field  of  strife; 

With  pleasures,  others  fill. 


Pome 

The  harness  man  has  on  nature, 

Is  not  on  right. 

The  collar  chokes  on  the  hill  we  climb, 
So  that  no  where  in  all  the  time 
Are  burdens  light. 

The  notion  old,  if  low  and  false,  why? 
“Its  age  is  test,” 

The  lie  we  quote  is  the  treason  wrote, 
Against  the  sense  of  them  who  wrote — 
For  man  the  best. 


134 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


The  workmen  on  the  highway  toiling. 
Their  hods  for  good, 

Are  running  o’er  in  the  lap  of  greed. 

Beneath  the  hods  the  shoulders  bleed 
For  brotherhood. 

Ye  toilers  in  this  heavy  going, 

Who  give  your  form — 

To  bearing  all  that  the  schemes  impart 

To  time  that  robs  the  human  heart 
Of  God-like  NORM— 

Awake  and  find  a way  that’s  better, 

The  races  right; 

Fit  harness  so  that  the  wounds  will  heal! 

That  needless  burdens  fall,  and  feel 
The  load  is  light. 


Self  Alone 

Did  you  ever  sit  upon  the  shore 
And  contemplate  the  sea; 

Listen,  to  the  breakers  roar; 

Watch  the  creation  of  the  moonlight  in  the  foam, 
Breaking  on  the  sand  when  dreams  come  home? 


AND  OmER  POEMS. 

Have  you  been  alone  upon  the  plain, 

And  wondered  at  the  mystery — 

Of  expanse  where  sky  makes  vision  vain : 

Watching  as  you  rode,  the  minstrelsy 
Nature  puts  upon  her  naked  breast, 

In  her  vast  silence — her  world  of  rest? 

Upon  mountain  ranges  have  you  stood, 

Lone  as  a single  foam  at  sea, 

And  felt  the  soul  of  their  great  solitude — 
'The  dreamless  sleep  of  eternity? 

Yea,  have  you  been  alone,  at  all  alone — 

To  know  that  separation  is  in  undertone? 

Eace  life  we  live,  yes  all  of  us,  Not  all 
May  hear  the  higher,  sweeter  strains 
Where  waves  on  waves  in  music  fall 

Against  a rocky  beach.  The  lonely  plains 
Are  peopled  for  the  lords  of  mind, 

And  music  hangs  a harp  on  every  wind. 


135 


136 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Invasion 

Beyond  this  place,  familiar  to  our  hand, 

This  place  where  every  touch  we  understand, 

Out  there,  whereon  forever  rests  our  land; 

Invisible  to  eyes  that  see 
Alone  the  plains  where  visual  things  expand, 

Invasion  seeks  eternity. 

:No  more  the  sunset  purple,  like  a dress, 

Is  folded  up  amid  a wilderness — 

Of  stars  that  wait  through  night,  the  dawn’s  caress 
Upon  the  gray-lipped  mouth  of  morn : 

Today  we  know,  though  darkness  here,  no  less 
Is  gold  on  other  fields  of  com. 

Though  words,  half  dreams  and  half  the  recompense, 
Of  labor  that  we  give  to  things  of  sense, 

Hold  ever,  with  a grip  of  fate,  suspense 
In  figures  formed  in  fancy’s  name — 

How  over  them,  nor  reck  the  consequence, 

We  shape  our  lonely  course  to  fame. 

Hot  only  words,  but  ways  to  please  in  rhyme, 

By  forms  of  stanzas  ’round  the  tone  and  time, 

Of  ancient  people  and  an  alien  clime, 

Retard  our  upward,  outward  reach, 

While  daring  scorn  to  know  the  new  sublime, 

And  from  a new  and  better  speech. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


137 


Today  no  continent  invites  the  bTave 
To  find  a pagan  people  he  may  save. 

The  shadow/'  of  the  cross  falls  on  a slave, 
Whose  bleeding  feet  are  set  apart 
To  cross  the  nations  lying  in  the  grave — 

Made  in  the  racers  open  heart. 

At  Valley  Forge,  amid  the  tents  of  snow 
A spirit  wept  within  the  soldieFs  woe; 

And  in  the  heart  of  him  who  faced  his  foe 
Began  a dream — a new  content — 

The  hero  held  a home  in  every  blow, 

He  made  his  home  the  continent. 

All  this  is  past,  no  more  can  ever  be, 

A battlefield,  where  weeping  liberty — 

Shall  call  her  sons  to  arms  to  fight  to  free 
The  underlings  of  tribe  and  clan: 

A meaning  wrote  our  page,  a history. 

And  eloquent  “the  rights  of  man.” 

Yet  workmen  in  the  fields  and  marts  of  trade, 
Beneath  the  burdens  of  the  world  are  made 
To  turn  aside,  nor  seek  where  rights  pervade. 
That  but  the  favored  few  shall  find. 

And  only  in  the  world  of  art,  invade — 

The  rebels  of  the  heart  and  mind. 


138 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Beholding  things  the  stone  age  man  fought  for 
We  laugh,  we  laugh  and  wonder  at  his  war. 
His  caves  show  woman’s  bones  behind  his,  far, 
About  that  deep  and  good  impress, 

As  night  that  gathers  close  about  a star, 

Has  hung  a human  wilderness. 

Upon  a throne  exalted  sits  a thing, 

And  wears  a robe  and  crown,  we  call  him  king; 
All  speech  for  him;  for  him  the  poets  sing — - 
The  poets  (pity  them)  enroll 
Their  lines  among  imperial  bickering, 

To  give  the  monstrous  state  a soul. 

Above  the  mountains  rise — 

Empurpled  range — 

On  range,  of  clouded  skies — 

Before  our  waiting  eyes, 

Again  for  our  surprise — 

Behold  the  change. 

Within  the  souPs  retreat — 

Ho  words  are  said: 

Forever  words  repeat — 

How  life  and  death  will  meet; 

And  Poets  only  greet — 

The  past — the  dead. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


139 


But  over  the  world  a Prophet  is  weeping, 
A weird,  wild  trenody; 

In  the  heart  of  the  Race  a spirit  is  keeping. 
Love,  and  the  heart  of  the  race  is  weeping. 
For  all,  the  poor  and  small 
And  the  pitying  melody 
Is  crying  at  last,  at  last,  to  all. 


The  Dream 

The  archers  o'er  night's  ramparts  had  begun 
To  shoot  the  golden  arrows  of  the  sun; 

A dreamer  slowly  waking  found  that  he 
Had  wandered  to  some  future  century. 

He  dreamed  he  saw  a maiden  fair,  * 

With  eyes  of  sky  and  softest  sun-kissed  hair, 
Come  down  full  armed  from  out  the  rising  sun 
And  smiling  thus  a poem  sung: 

“To  touch  with  labor's  hand 
The  earth's  rich  soil. 

Gives  rogues  a reprimand 
And  fame  to  toil. 

For  who  would  beggar  be. 

Ask  ought  of  clan; 

Or  seek  in  misery 
To  hide  the  man. 


140 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


For  man  the  Savior  died, 

The  weary  worn 

For  whom  the  angels  vied, 

Base  tyrants  scorn. 

For  man  were  heroes  torn. 

From  his  sweat  brow, 

To  lift  the  crown  of  thorn, 

And  freedom  grow. 

Then  who  would  better  feel 
When  mothers  cry! 

For  helpless  offspring’s  weal, 
And  babies  die. 

Fgr  bread  and  homely  fare, 

God  meant  them  wealth; 

But  greed  will  have  its  share, 
Greed  loves  their  death. 

But  Him  who  gave  his  life 
For  all  mankind, 

©raws  forth  the  sword  of  strife 
To  free  the  mind/5 

Then  pointing  ot  our  histry’s  fame, 

She  laid  her  head  on  a holy  name; 

She  pressed  it  close  with  sky-born  lips, 
And  touched  his  heart  with  finger  tips, 
That  never  tyrant’s  hands  laid  on, 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


141 


She  breathed  the  name  of  Jefferson, 

•Who  bade  the  kneeling  serf  to  stand, 

A regal  soul  in  a regal  land. 

She  lingered  long  at  Lincoln’s  name, 

She  kissed  again,  again  his  lofty  fame, 

And  pointed  to  the  noble  track 
Of  him  who  dared  to  free  the  black. 

Then  coming  to  a group  of  fiercer  men, 

We  thought  she’d  pale  and  frown,  but  when 
She  smiled  and  threw  from  her  rosy  lips, 

A burning  fame  on  her  finger  tips — - 

The  features  of  a divine  and  Christian  soul. 

We  standing  mute  and  fame  beheld 
A sitting  down  on  Bryan,  Tillman,  and  Altgeld ; 
The  man  who  dares  to  dream  of  freedom’s  fall, 
As  sovereign  right  on  great  and  small. 

She  wrapped  in  her  shimmering  skein 
The  hero’s  soul,  patriot’s  fame, 

And  hung  them  on  the  horns  of  time, 

And  placed  these  men  on  their  country’s  shrine, 
Above  the  Tyrant’s  hateful  fling, 

From  whence  their  truth  speeches  ring 
Chimes  of  Liberty. 

The  maid  has  gone  but  the  golden  way, 

Through  which  she  went  will  ope’  some  day, 

And  on  its  fame  and  justice  name, 

The  poor  will  walk  and  hold  commerce 
With  the  maiden’s  love  and  holy  verse. 


142 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


A Foolish  Rhyme 

The  present  age  is  lost  in  lust; 

Our  glory  hides  within  a name; 

A revel  feeds  a,  lords’  distrust; 

The  poet  asks  for  Knight’s-hood  fame. 
The  messengers  who  bring  the  fire — 

To  kindle  man  with  high  desire, 

Return,  retake  the  sacred  flame, 

While  here  we  fuss  about  a name. 

0,  listen  to  old  songs  sublime  ; 

See  Pegasus  with  bleeding  side; 

A slander  hunting  peevish  rhyme 
A dirty  spur  of  royal  pride. 

“The  woman  with  a serpents’  tongue 
Who  is  not  old,  who  is  not  young, 

The  coward  with  the  coward  pen.” 

Is  this  the  best  estate  of  men? 

There  is  no  merit  in  the  pen 
That  wrote  a woman’s  “serpent-tongue,” 
Nor  in  the  pencils  of  men 

Who  call  her  “slander’d”  when  she’s  sung 
The  Poet’s  thrilling,  trailing  art 
Sends  Pity’s  beauty  to  the  heart — 

And  clinging  there  in  sweet  embrace 
Peeps  through  a smile  on  our  own  face. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


143 


To  the  Poets 

Who  wakes  the  world  with  song, 

By  genius  interlaced. 

Helps  God  to  move  along 

The  way  that  destiny  is  traced. 

Nor  need  he  think  of  play, 

With  Christ  he  must  be  classed. 

Nor  joy  nor  peace  nor  light  of  day, 

Till  duty  in  his  life  is  passed. 

Man  is  a God-child,  with  Deity 
Must  stand  the  stress  of  earth ; 

For  in  his  breast  eternity 
In  finite  form  has  birth; 

His  very  modes  of  thought 
In  which  he  wars  with  plan, 

Are  but  the  sentiments  enwrought 
Of  God  alive  in  man. 

But  in  these  modes  eternity  is  known. 

The  future  bends  to  kiss  the  brow 
Of  princes  born  to  endless  throne, 

That  with  the  world's  great  grief  is  aching  now. 
A light  that  only  God  can  give, 

A joy  and  peace,  unsullied  bliss, 

Are  all  the  heritage  of  those  who  live 
And  feel  Jehovah's . only  kiss. 


144 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Weep  on,  ye  singers  of  the  earth; 

Who  bear  the  burdens  of  the  world; 
The  secrets  of  your  life,  your  birth, 
From  God’s  own  joy  is  hurled — 

To  open  on  your  hearts  at  last. 

In  all  that  mystery  inspires. 

Into  your  melody,  when  jou  have  passed, 
A heaven  of  your  mad  desires. 


& 


A Soldier’s  Dream 

Take  me  back  to  loyal  Kansas, 

Boys,  the  state  will  make  it  right; 
Lay  me  where  the  winds  make  dirges 
O’er  the  soldier’s  grave  at  night. 

Where  the  fields  are  undulated 
With  waves  of  golden  grain; 

And  the  foam  of  native  flowers 
Makes  a serf  along  the  plain. 

Where,  along  the  winding  streamlets, 
Sun-flame  Orioles  will  nest, 

Singing  sweetly  with  the  waters; 

There  my  comrades  let  me  rest. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


145 


Our  Child 

On  the  pretty  face 

Of  this  child  idol  had  grown, 

Sweet  and  fair  a grace 
As  ever  an  angel  has  sown. 

On  her  pretty  hair 

The  sun  hung  his  burnished  skein. 

And  the  tangle  there 

Shown  like  the  evening  sky’s  soft  flame. 

Vicissitudes 

’Tis  sad  that  after  sailing  storms  of  life, 

Then  reach  a rugged,  lonely  coast. 

What  ’vails  the  victories  of  your  strife? 

What  FATE  assails  you  most? 

Ah!  (’tis  self  cast  in  angry,  ugly  tone)  — 

Where  songs  of  mother-hood  were  but  a groan, 
The  thunderings  of  war  re-echoed  from  the  womb. 
Yea,  more  than  singing  messengers  of  love 
Will  DEMONS  tug  you  ever  to  the  tomb. 

Despite  the  movings  from  above. 

J 10 


146 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


I would  I knew  that  God  were  just.  Then  pride 
That  waits  for  victory  would  love  the  time  I died, 
How  void  is  life,  when  hope  is  dead? 

Then  fill  it  full  of  pain  and  find, 

The  truth  of  what  within  these  lines  Fve  said. 

The  misery  and  woe  that  wounds  your  kind. 
"Some  time  we’ll  know”  you  make  me  smile. 
Forsooth,  “tis  now  the  blind  to  blind; 

That  Phantom  lilt  that  may  beguile” 

Begs  aid  to  light  the  mind. 


Silence’s  Dream 

Where  silence  dreams  as  one  who  sleeps, 
Abated  care, 

That  o’er  us  ever  sweeps — 

Was  banished  there, 

I lay  me  down  beside  a stream — 

And  soon  passed  in  the  silence’s  dream. 

And  there  I lived  where  not  a breath, 

Of  air  awoke — 

The  stillness,  still  as  death. 

Until  I spoke: 

I spoke,  ’twas  but  a mocking  moan; 

For  fame  was  dead.  I was  alone. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


147 


Into  my  dream  there  always  came, 
From  out  the  skies, 

A purple  floating  flame — 

That  changed  my  eyes; 

So  that  I saw  within  the  flame. 

The  scarlet  form  of  fancy’s  fame. 

The  lure  she  long  had  cast  on  me, 

Was  embers  where — 

Once  bold  emblazenry 
Had  made  me  dare — 

To  empty  life  of  it’s  rich  store; 

So  love  could  lust  for  her  no  more. 

Within  the  vision  one  withstood. 

With  gentle  hand, 

The  dying  of  the  solitude. 

To  her  command — 

A bow  of  life  shone  out  to  me — 

A smile  on  living  revelry. 

From  rest  and  dream  and  pulseless  ease. 
With  hope  for  strife — 

And  passions  melodies — 

I woke  to  life, 

I joined  her  song  and  then  we  sang. 

So  that  the  throat  of  Echo  rang. 


148 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Thus  face  to  face  with  every  fate, 

Nor  would  I bend — 

My  course  nor  hesitate. 

For  self  to  lend, 

Though  it  were  steel  and  red  with  blood, 

The  means  for  change.  Nor  wrong  for  good. 

Around  me  are  the  symphonies, 

That  feed  the  heart — 

And  wake  the  mind  from  ease. 

To  rythmic  art, 

Wherein  the  soul  new  worlds  intrude 
And  wakes  the  sleeping  solitude. 

The  man  who  will  defy  his  race, 

And  destiny. 

For  somewhere  is  the  face. 

That  does  portray — 

The  gift  none  other  e’re  can  own — 

His  birth  en-role,  will  reach  his  throne. 

So  here  I end  Olympic’s  clime. 

The  mountain  side — 

Is  still  of  every  rhyme 
And  every  pride — 

Lies  broken  on  the  rugged  steep — 

Left  where  the  poor  invaders  sleep. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


149 


The  lines  of  Fate’s  relentless  dare, 

That  threat  and  call. 

Of  madness  and  despair — 

A living  thrall, 

Shall  give  and  write  for  me  above — 
Them  all — a deathless  name — man — love. 


The  Muse  of  Santa  Cruz 

Walk  the  streets  of  Santa  Cruz, 
Hear  the  roses  whispering 
Echoes  of  the  Niad’s  muse — 
Perfumed  lips  a holding  them. 

Then — come  flat-faced  to  the  shore, 
See  the  storm  child  ride  each  wave; 
See  the  child  of  sun  and  sea — 

In  iridescent  lave, 

It’s  grand  enough  for  me. 

Sit  there  just  to  hold  and  when 
Each  wave  comes  a tuggin’  in 
Like  ’twould  break  the  very  shore. 
Then  fall  back  murmuring 
As  a chided  petted  child, 

Then  there  comes  an  arrow  bright, 
Prom  the  sun  set  free; 

In  the  wound  a rain-bow  bleeds — 

My  soul  laughs  and  feeds. 

It’s  grand  enough  for  me. 


150 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


The  Roosevelt  Dam 

The  Prophet's  eye  beheld  afar  arise. 

From  dust  and  burning  sand  and  clouds  of  smoke; 
And  rivers  of  the  fevered  mind's  disguise, 

New  homes  upon  the  plains  where  rivers  broke. 

He  heard  a murmur  of  the  restless  deep — 

Across  the  desert's  waste  and  fiery  plain; 

And  voices  of  the  winds  that  would  not  sleep, 
Till  waters  flowed  across  those  plains  again. 

At  his  command  the  mountain  floods  are  kept, 

So  from  the  fields  below  the  harvest  springs: 

The  Ages  where  potential  joys  have  slept, 

Resound,  refrains  from  new  eolic  strings. 

The  Prophet  saw  this  glory  yet  to  be; 

And  Roosevelt  heard  the  Urim,  Thummim,  last — 
These  from  the  silence  of  eternity — 

Are  lifting  homes  to  view  from  the  desert's  fast. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


151 


Goodbye,  Strange  World,  Goodbye 

I speak  to  you  as  manly  men : 

A human  name  I conjure  in; 

Now  look  upon  this  wasted  form, 

A broken  column  of  your  sin. 

Behold,  how  white  I am, 

No  more  a breath  can  stain 
My  person  as  I sweep  along 
Your  world  of  greed  and  pain. 

From  death  I speak  to  you, 

A place  where  I enlarge, 

I ask  you  now  behold  the  waste 
For  which  you  made  your  charge. 

You  had  me  sin  and  pay: 

For  pay  you  winked  at  wrong, 

And  when  you  came  to  see  me  die, 

But  not  to  weep — to  sing  a song. 

Just  keep  the  silver  that  I gave, 

As  license  of  my  trade. 

When  eYe  I wronged  a man, 

Your  money  Ywas  I made. 


152 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


And  while  I sleep,  0 pity  God! 

So  far  my  feet  have  carried  me 
From  where  my  childhood  learned 
A human,  Holy  melody — 

And  while  I sleep  you  look, 

To  find  and  hunt  her  down, 
Another  girl  like  me  with  coin, 

And  earned  upon  the  town. 

But  in  the  silence  .think  of  this — 
Just  as  the  sun  arose  one  time 
A girl’s  small  life  went  out 
In  your  own  City’s  crime. 


The  Night 

The  way-ward  watch  the  fading  grey, 
That  looses  in  the  west: 

The  closing  eye,  the  weary  day, 

Turns  on  a naked  breast. 

There  keeps  the  fire  of  passions  fane; 
With  lust  in  love’s  disguise. 

Men  there  their  first  admission  gain — 
And  look  into  her  eyes — 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


153 


Who  is  the  Nymph  and  spirit  elf. 

That  hides  in  smiles  of  light — 

Who  fawns  upon  the  better  self — 

The  Queen  of  sin — the  Night. 

The  day  is  done  and  on  the  world, 

Fate  throws  the  curtains  down. 

Behind  them  now,  the  palls  unfurl’d — 
Bed  bannered  o’er  the  town. 

The  Harlot’s  yell  amid  the  spell — 

Of  drunken  orgies 

Is  her  wild  word  above  the  spell 

Of  man’s  debaucheries. 

The  sale  of  flesh  where  Demons  rush — 
To  bid  the  victims  in 
Is  on  this  night  with  Hell’s  red  blush— 
On  gluttony  of  sin. 

0 man!  0 maid!  hear  thou  this  rhyme 
Which  calls  to  you  in  shame. 

It  is  the  voice  relentless  time 
Is  calling  out  your  name. 


154 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


The  Mocking  Birds 

Hear  those  liquid,  mellow  notes 
Sung  by  rebels  from  the  south. 
And  the  running  tone  that  floats 
Makes  a treason  in  the  mouth. 
Listen,  to  the  revel  and  the  raving 
In  the  riot  of  their  song. 

See  their  spotted  wings  go  waving, 
Notes  of  music  borne  along. 

'There  is  one  that  has  been  singing — 
Day  and  night  and  night  and  day, 
Passions  of  the  south  are  ringing, 

Of  the  people’s  toil  and  play. 
Listen ! now  he  tells  you  in  a tone 
Of  a widow’s  wrong 
And  he  makes  you  hear  her  moan, 
In  his  sorrow  song. 

Now  he’s  tender  in  emotion, 

For  his  little  throat  is  lent 
To  the  words  of  love’s  devotion — 
He  is  but  the  instrument. 

Listen!  love  is  lingering, 

Words  of  promise  seal  the  bliss 
You  can  hear  the  offering. 

Passion’s  language  is  the  kiss. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


155 


Gone  to  join  the  other  birds; 
Broke  his  song  amid  the  notes. 
But  I can  understand  the  words 
Waving  in  the  tone  that  floats; 
“We  are  from  the  Sunny  South 
“And  we  sing  our  songs  as  free 
“As  the  winds  great  mouth 
“Moans  its  melody. 


♦ 

An  Idyl  of  the  True 

Tell  me  not  your  mournful  number, 
Sage!  that  sees  all  Idyls  vain; 

And  believes  the  soul  is  dead  in  slumber; 
That  all  loving  leads  to  pain. 

Hush ! look  through  the  purple  ending 
Of  the  sun  with  drippling  light 
On  the  day,  that  slowly  bending 
Lays  its  length  along  the  night. 

There  it  lays  its  length  along  the  night. 
Where  the  light  is  turned  to  gold. 

And  the  beauty  held  in  sight. 

Formed  the  features  we  behold. 

Sinks  in  Radiunds  pink  and  blue— 

In  a smile  returns  to  view. 


156  MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 

Sage,  your  speech  is  only  spoken, 

Idle  words  of  discontent, 

For  my  being  bends  as  bonds  are  broken 
Of  a friendship  that  has  spent. 

That  has  spent  its  force  like  moonbeam 
Falling  on  the  desert's  dusty  face. 

Ah ! like  coaxing  fairies  of  a boy's  dream, 
That  escape  the  fanes  his  fancies  trace. 
You  deny  me  all  the  pleasure, 

Others  seem  to  hold,  caressed 
By  the  heart's  whole  treasure 
While  the  creeds  of  old  are  pressed 
On  my  soul;  you  call  it  fate. 

'Tis  a lie  I loathe  and  hate. 

Softly  strains  of  distant  music, 

Liquid  as  the  water's  echoed  hours, 

Falling  in  the  hush  and  silence — 

Of  the  night  on  flowers. 

Break  across  the  wide  abyss, 

She  is  singing  rythmed  music 
Of  her  world  to  this. 

Sage,  of  old,  I would  seek 
That  one  born  to  be  with  me. 

Let  the  way  be  e're  so  bleak. 

She  alone  can  solve  this  mystery. 

She  is  like  a perfume  rare 
On  a lip  of  breathing  air. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


157 


Or  as  fancy  makes  her  seem 
Kadiant  creature  of  my  dream. 

And  this  widowed  maiden — 

Widowed  but  for  me,  is  singing 
“In  the  distant  Aidenn 
Down  the  star-way  flinging 
Beauty’s  soul  to  me — 

Beauty  down  to  me. 

No  Lenore  is  fading  on  my  sight; 

No  raven  croaking  never  more; 

No  day  of  promise  turned  to  night; 

No  ominous  thing  do  I implore. 

But  a rare  and  radiant  maiden 
That  loves  me  where  I go 
Who  from  her  distant  Aidenn 
Leaves  me  not,  as  she  left  Poe 
Walking  here  alone. 

By  his  dark  tarns  in  a world  of  moan. 
God  is  God  and  He  has  said, 

That  He  will  conquer  wrong, 

And  I see  above  the  dead. 

Her  who  sings  and  makes  me  strong. 


158 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Along  the  Cimarron 

So  soon  forgot  those  days  of  old? 

Yes,  old  they  seem, 

A passing  dream  and  never  told. 

The  sinking  sun;  the  evening  blaze, 
The  water’s  gurgled  tone, 

And  star-lit  shimmer  on  the  haze — 
Along  the  Cimarron. 

The  spreading  plain  and  winding  trail, 
I see  them  still — - 
Beyond  the  hill  and  down  the  vale. 
The  camp-fire  smoke  above  the  scene. 
Of  my  last  rest  alone, 

[Has  melted  in  the  purple  sheen — 
Along  the  Cimarron. 

At  that  last  camp,  up  from  the  brush. 
Wild  west  wind  came 
And  offered  game,  then  in  the  hush 
That  sorrow  brings  to  parting  friends, 
The  red  girl,  sobbing  ’lone, 

Hid  in  the  dusk  the  darkness  sends. 
Along  the  Cimarron. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


159 


In  memory  I reach  my  hand 
To  her  and  see, 

What  used  to  be  when  this  plow’d  land, 
Enslaved  and  torn  by  toil  for  man; 

And  to  the  alien  sown, 

Was  hunting  ground  and  cow- trails  ran — 
Along  the  Cimarron. 

Unroll  my  blankets  for  a sleep. 

In  their  enclose, 

The  west’s  repose  is  rich  and  deep ; 

The  Oratorios — the  Orient 
Sings  sorrow  to  atone. 

But  there  was  singing,  innocent, 

Along  the  Cimarron, 

The  spirit  of  the  open  west, 

Her  gladsome  lay 

Was  to  the  day  upon  her  breast, 

And  in  the  night  she  sang  to  rest, 

In  crooning,  tender  tone, 

The  cow-boy  whom  the  wild  caress’t — 
Along  the  Cimarron. 


160 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


The  Mystery  of  Woe 

The  Demon  comes  with  his  caress, 
Man  loaned  him  in  retreat. 

And  our  own  frenzies  of  distress — 

We  fancy,  is  divine  defeat. 

Yet  make  believe,  our  heart  will  heal — 
And  leave  no  after  scar; 

That  distance  lends  to  all  we  feel, 

As  what  we  see,  as  looks  a star. 

But  this  is  right,  if  other  wise — 

Our  sense  of  things  disclosed, 

The  most  we  live  we  should  despise 
And  curse  the  fallacies  imposed. 

But  what  is  this,  this  living  so — 

That  out  of  death  we  find. 

What  ever  joy  we  know — 

Is  of  the  woe  we  have  refined? 

*Tis  this,  that  like  warm  ashes  blown, 

A flame  again  will  glow. 

And  in  the  flare  what  once  was  known 
Is  joy,  the  body  burned  was  woe. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


161 


Across  the*  desert’s  fevered  face — 

A fellow’s  shadow  fell; 

A smile  was  playing  on  his  face, 

While  walking  Gilla’s  horrid  Hell. 

And  one  went  out  amid  a storm; 

Within  the  blizzard  groped; 

There  battled  with  the  blasts — his  form 
Was  bent  with  woe,  and  yet  he  hoped. 

The  hope  that  does  retrace  the  past; 

And  faith  to  stand  the  pain, 

Forever  bolts  the  blizzard’s  blast, 

The  desert’s  flame  and  fiery  rain. 

Yes,  every  source  of  joy  is  woe — 

And  all  of  life  so  mixed, 

That  sorrow  dies  that  we  may  know — 
Beneath  its  form,  our  peace  is  fixed. 

Think  not  this  a little  round. 

That  we  are  weak  and  small; 

Love  breaks  the  silence  and  the  sound. 
Becomes  a Vesper  and  a call. 


J 11 


162 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Dying  Memmon 

You  stand  and  sing  while  souls  are  dying — 
iSee ! brigandage  rob  the  life 
Of  hope  and  joy,  whose  banners,  waving, 
Where  heroes  stand  in  strife. 

What  is  the  thing  you  most  desire 
Away  from  war  lines  leaping  fire? 

Ah ! smitten  lips  of  Memnon,  Egypt  crying — 
To  innocence  unborn, 

While  in  the  Nile  our  babes  are  dying. 

To  monsters,  see!  their  flesh  is  sworn! 

What  is  the  thing  you  most  desire 
Away  from  war  lines  leaping  fire? 

* 

True  Irish  Hearts 

Fll  stand  no  slur  of  the  Pope, 

No  orange  will  I smell; 

But  perfume  from  old  Ireland's  bogs 
And  shamrocks  I love  well. 

We  walked  up  and  down  the  street. 

We  walked  down  again; 

His  name  was  Pat  Maloney,  sir, 

And  mine  was  only  Tim, 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


163 


We  stepped  into  a liquor  place 
To  wash  the  slobbers  down; 

And  then  went  out  with  sleeves  rolled  up 
To  take  the  little  town. 

0,  Pat  was  at  his  best, 

With  fourteen  drinks  within; 

But  Pm  a short  built  man, 

And  that’s  too  much  for  Tim. 

For  now  I’m  in  the  county  jail; 

My  eyes  are  both  shut  down. 

For  ’twas  me  that  Pat  was  takin’  in, 

And  not  the  little  town. 


Passion 

Have  you  emotion?  Feeling? 

A spell  of  glee? 

A pulse  in  your  soul  that  is  raging, 
So  joyously. 

You  are  unable  to  express 
More  than  a smile  of  its  beingness  ? 

If  so,  look  out  on  being; 

Out  upon  me. 

I’m  ready  to  share  your  loving 


164 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Sweet  charity. 

For  passion  unspent  is  a mood, 

Of  wasting  of  being  in  self  solitude. 

The  only  good  of  living, 

Is  to  live  free— 

In  sending  out  self  through  the  feeling 
Of  sympathy. 

This  is  the  brooding  we  would  express. 

And  is  heard  in  the  songs  when  souls  confess. 


Arrow  of  Arapahoe 

The  night  had  lost  its  frighted  glame 
And  o’er  its  ramparts  had  begun — 

The  golden  arrows  of  the  sun 
To  fall,  and  falling,  flame. 

A warrior  in  his  blankets  lay, 

He,  dreaming,  saw  a brilliant  star 
Ablaze  from  heaven’s  camp  afar. 

Where  valiant  warriors  are, 

And  in  its  light  an  arrow  play. 

He  thought  he  saw  the  white  man  come 
With  thunder  on  his  battle  flame. 

To  fright  the  red  man  from  his  home, 
And  drive  away  his  children’s  game. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


165 


Then  loud-alarm  the  warwhoop  rung. 

Mad  Wolf  his  trusty  bow  has  strung. 

And  mounting  horse,  as  he  was  young, 

The  battle-song  he  loudly  sung. 

The  other  braves  to  urge  along. 

The  white  man’s  blood  run  in  his  song. 

Now  down  the  plain  they  madly  go; 

The  chief  is  anxious  for  the  foe — 

To  meet  the  chief  of  golden  hair, 

In  battle  bold  and  even  fair. 

Lo,  yonder  rides  that  chieftain  down; 

And  in  the  sun-like  golden  crown, 

His  yellow  hair  his  forehead  bound; 

The  thunder  of  his  troopers’  feet. 

Made  battle-music  on  the  ground, 

And  crash  on  crash  they  meet 
On  the  Washita 

The  fury  of  the  battle  host, 

Like  Hell’s  own  inspiration  spread — 

Of  all  the  soldiers,  he  wrought  most — 

And  raged  till  half  of  Mad  Wolf’s  braves  lay  dead. 
The  glory  of  the  plains  fell  on  him  there, 

The  white  man’s  chief  of  golden  hair. 

The  sun,  behind  the  cLoud,  shone  through, 

And  kissed  the  grass  which,  wet  with  purple  dew 
^Reflected  back  a scarlet  bow, 


166 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


And  from  that  bow,  like  vengeance  came 
The  arrow  of  Arapahoe 
And  pierced  through  Custer’s  battle  Fame. 
The  warrior  felt  his  squaw’s  red  hand 
Unloose  the  blood-stained  battle  band. 

His  brow  is  cool  and  free  from  pain, 

His  muscles  hard  with  sturdy  strain; 

With  hatred  in  his  upturned  eye. 

He  sees  the  bow  bent  in  the  sky; 

And  yonder  stays  the  beaming  star, 

How  burning  on  a northern  war. 

And  sitting  at  his  wigwam  door, 

He  tells  his  little  braves  to  share 
The  mother’s  place  and  Indian  fare; 

He’s  going  north  to  seek  the  foe — 

The  warrior  chief  with  the  golden  hair — 
Who’s  fighting  now  ’neath  the  scarlet  bow. 

The  march  is  o’er,  the  moon  is  full, 

He  hears  the  Little  Big  Horn  flow; 

Across  the  sky  sprung  scarlet  bow; 

The  arrow  of  Arapahoe, 

Is  quivering  on  the  frighted  stream, 

For  yonder  see  the  camp  fires  gleam, 

And  hear  the  song  of  Sitting  Bull. 

The  wolf  now  feels  his  heart  grow  strong. 
And  in  the  night  sings  a battle  song. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


167  . 


His  limbs  are  tirecl,  he  fain  would  rest, 

And  while  he  sleeps,  nemesis  hunts  his  Indian  breast. 

He  wakes  amid  the  battle  strain 

And  sees  the  white  chief  strike  in  vain; 

Around  the  noble  soldier  fall 

His  troopers,  one  by  one,  he  last  of  all. 

And  Mad  Wolf  looks  with  prophet  eye 
To  see  the  bow  that  on  the  sky. 

Which  made  when  his  own  warriors  stood 
In  battle  ’gainst  the  yellow  hair 
And  gave  it  color  from  their  blood, 

But  now  it  stays  no  longer  there. 

The  warriors  from  the  field  have  gone — 

The  South  winds  kept  this  Indian  there — 

The  North  winds  in  low  requiem  moans, 

Bade  Aeolus  to  string  with  his  golden  hair 
The  evening  harps  for  burial  tones. 

The  Arapahoe  as  he  went  along 
Found  Custer  mid  his  troopers  slain. 

And  put  his  foot  on  the  soldier’s  breast; 

Then  kneeling  down  in  Indian  grace — • 

“Great  Spirit,  our  fight  was  not  in  vain.” 

The  night’s  red  campfire  flamed  the  west; 

The  darkness  fell  on  the  upturned  face — 

Of  the  Indian’s  foe,  the  white  man’s  friend. 

Thus  Mad  Wolf’s  dream  found  mystic  end. 


168 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


Mary  of  Bethlehem 

A Ruby  ambient  round  the  scene 
Is  giving  Autumn  phase, 

A scarlet  purple  in  the  scene 
Of  rifted  Indian  summer  haze; 

While  over  all  the  echoes  hold 
The  silent  voices  that  foretold 
In  Ancient  story, 

That  present  pleasure  and  this  sheen 
Were  figures  of  the  love  between 
Our  passion’s  glory, 

For  in  the  play  where  passion  keeps, 

A court  and  throne. 

She  moves  and  through  the  purple  peeps 
A face — our  own. 

She  has  a dream  of  motherhood 
With  sarcedotal  power, 

To  be  expressed  in  brother-hood. 

In  one  great  tragic  hour. 

The  azure  beauty  of  the  skies — 

Is  looking  in  the  maiden’s  eyes, 

With  prescient  light; 

And  as  she  moves  amid  the  scene, 

She  smiles  the  world’s  great  faith  and  dream — 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


169 


In  hopes  delight : 

For  unto  her  a voice  has  broke — 

The  silence — vast. 

Whose  Prophet’s  trenodies  provoke. 

The  sorrow  past. 

The  little  path  she  travels  o’er 
Is  writ,  with  sandaled  feet. 

The  story  that  forever  more 
The  centuries  repeat. 

The  beauty  of  this  scene  of  earth 

Is  ’round  sweet  girlhood,  promised  birth. 

The  purple  dawn 

Of  everlasting  light,  behold; 

Is  skimmering  the  autumn  gold 
We’re  looking  on, 

This  girl  is  walking  there  today 
Around  her  form, 

The  purple  bows  of  passion  lay 
Against  the  storm. 


MENTAL  METEMPSYCHOSIS. 


170 


Oklahoma 

Out  here  in  Oklahoma, 

Where  the  cotton  pickers  sing, 

As  they  pluck  the  bulbs  of  snow,  the  summer  gave, 
From  the  prophecies  of  spring — 

The  autumn  gold  is  drifting 
In  the  simmer  of  the  leaves. 

And  an  Indian  haze  is  lifting 
’Mong  the  branches  of  the  trees, 

The  purple  painting  Oklahoma  breathes  upon — 
The  landscape  on  her  breast. 

She  is  her  lover’s  paragon, 

Star-Goddess  of  the  West. 

# 

The  Song  of  Eighty-nine 

“A  home  in  Oklahoma,” 

How  loudly  rang  that  line, 

The  boomers  sang  it,  “Oklahoma,” 

’Way  back  in  eighty-nine. 

The  plains  of  Oklahoma, 

Upon  their  virgin  breast, 

Made  silence  sing,  in  Oklahoma — 

The  glory  of  the  west. 


AND  OTHER  POEMS. 


171 


A home  in  Oklahoma 
In  your  old  home  and  mine, 

Became  our  hope;  to  Oklahoma 
We  moved  in  eighty-nine. 

The  land  of  Oklahoma, 

Where  every  race  and  clan 

May  speak  one  tongue,  for  Oklahoma 

Is  known  to  every  man. 

A home  in  Oklahoma, 

A sentiment  divine, 

The  nations  sing  it,  “Oklahoma,” 

The  song  of  eighty-nine. 


PART  III 


THE  APOSTATE 
THE  INDIAN  IN  COURT 
GOD  IS— IMMORTALITY  IS  A FACT 
CONSCIOUSNESS 


THE  APOSTATE 


There  is  but  one  world  eminence.  To  it  expectant 
hope  looked  in  phophecy  for  ages.  Back  to  it  look  the 
ages  through  history. 

On  that  eminence,  made  memorable  by  the  sacrifice 
of  the  Divine  Man,  a symbol  of  shame  became  the 
symbol  of  the  earth’s  greatest  glory. 

On  that  hill  of  a Skull,  where  alone,  the  Man  and  a 
Woman,  Mary  of  Bethany,  wept  in  the  dark  for  a 
world  of  sin.  Sin  found  a conquerer. 

There  every  Law  known  to  man  was  broken  or  ful- 
filled. There  every  need  of  the  Race  found  new  doc- 
trine on  which  to  base  a juster  law. 

In  a world  of  war  a prince  of  peace  was  lifted  up 
and  paid  in  full  the  penalty  truth  offered  as  the  price 
of  blood — there  Mary  kissing  the  blood  from  his 
wounded  feet  as  the  sun  went  out,  midday,  redemption 
came  to  mankind. 

How  beautiful  were  his  words,  words  of  gentleness 
and  love.  What  wonderful  sympathy  found  terms  in 


176 


THE  APOSTATE. 


justice.  Bach  way  from  the  cross  runs  a stream  of 
promise.  And  all  that  is  good  starts  to  live. 

He  called  the  moonlight  on  the  sea; 

And  hade  the  water  lily  dream. 

He  brought  the  heart  of  sympathy, 

In  love’s  up-looking  beam. 

Just  why  every  act  that  inherently  causes  man  to 
look  and  honor,  should  have  the  strain  of  treachery  on 
it  is  cause  for  serious  speculations. 

We  shall  find  that  every  world  act  that  achieved 
and  achieves  immortality  and  lifts  its  heroes  forever 
up  in  the  thrall  is  a God  act.  And  that  standing  close 
to  the  chief  actor  on  the  side  of  right,  stands  the 
Apostate. 

It  was  around  an  Altar,  whereon  dripping  flesh  was 
offered  to  God  as  sacrifice,  that  man’s  first  blood  was 
shed  in  crime.  There  it  was  that  Cain,  the  Apostate 
to  home  and  brother-love,  heard  first  the  Irrevocable 
law  of  banishment  (for  in  the  heart  it  is  written — this 
condemnation  against  Apostacy). 

Prom  Moses  to  the  silence  that  brooded  over  ex- 


THE  APOSTATE. 


177 


pectancy  after  Malachi,  Apostacy  was  the  rule  of  the 
world’s  Theocracy. 

Judas  the  Apostate  to  Christ  was  near  the  Lord  and 
kissed  Him  that  others  might  know  the  one  whom  they 
sought. 

The  meeting  of  Jesus  and  Judas  ...  the  Savior 
and  the  Apostate. 

Yet  the  “Sop”  that  Christ  gave  Judas  did  the  treach- 
ery. Why  ? 

Without  the  Apostate  the  Savior  would  not  have 
died  and  the  tragedy  of  the  cross  on  the  hill  of  a Skull 
would  not  have  occurred. 

Judas  had  felt  Divine  power;  had  driven  unclean 
things  and  Devils  out  of  others;  he  had  felt  the  charm 
of  the  wonderful  personality  of  Jesus.  . . . Why  did 
Judas — the  trusted  treasurer  of  Christ/s  meager  ex- 
chequer— fail  ? 

Without  Judas,  what? 

It  takes  a greater  character  to  be  the  true  Apostate 

than  it  does  to  be  a follower  in  the  worn  paths  of 
J 12 


178 


THE  APOSTATE. 


the  familiar.  Maybe  the  character  will  be  evil  but 
great  nevertheless.  Judas  was  great,  the  greatest  in- 
dividual of  the  race  however  evil  we  may  consider  him. 
This  position  is  quite  necessary  in  any  view  of  the 
story. 

If  Christ  was  God,  indeed  then  was  Judas  great,  for 
he  sold  God  and  knew  it,  else  it  were  not  knowable. 
If  Christ  was  an  impostor,  Judas  followed  him  and 
was  his  friend  and  had  therefore  lost  caste  with  all 
other  forms  of  society.  To  sell  his  Master  was  then 
an  act  of  self-exile.  What  could  this  demand  of  an 
individual?  Remember  the  pretense  was  that  of  a God 
with  man  in  the  ACT.  The  world  of  that  Theocracy 
of  which  Judas  was  a part,  expected  a wonderful 
Prophet,  or  The  Christ.  It  means  that  a universe 
crashed  before  the  eyes  of  a man  and  he  alone  felt  the 
weight  of  his  deed.  He  stood  alone  without  class  and 
knew  he  stood  in  a world  act.  He  did  what  he  did 
deliberately.  His  was  the  Victory  of  Evil.  At  the  head 
of  his  class  he  stands  today. 

And  as  every  prayer  exalts  Christ,  so  every  prayer  ex- 
alts Judas.  For  the  exaltation  of  Jesus  exalts  the 
Apostate. 


THE  APOSTATE. 


179 


Judas  knew  all  the  time  that  Jesus  was  an  extraor- 
dinary man — to  Judas  a Divine  Man.  To  Judas  the 
test  had  to  come,  for  he  saw  evasion  after  evasion.  He 
resolved  therefore  to  lose  himself  and  establish  the 
Lord. 

Again  it  must  be  remembered  that  to  this  time 
Judas  has  had  no  fair  defense.  The  words  of  his  enemies 
have  been  taken  as  conclusive  of  his  guilt.  And  the 
fact  of  the  object  of  prayer  being  opposed,  shuts  the 
door  for  trial. 

Not  once  have  men  reasoned  that  for  a man  to  kill  a 
God  can  be  no  crime.  If  done,  why  done  during  a 
Providence?  Then  what?  Answer  this  question  and 
Judas  is  redeemed  from  calumny.  NOTE  the  Answer. 

By  contrast  man  knows  the  objective  about  him.  He 
knows  this  way  by  virtue  of  the  fact  that  within  him  is 
twofold  life.  Experience  is  the  under  fact  of  contrast. 
The  potential  here  invoked  of  inherent  Nature.  There 
is  contrast,  by  nature,  in  man. 

This  is  true  and  can  be  verified  by  all.  Experi- 
mental philosophy  leads  us  here. 

To  the  believer  I offer  the  word  of  God. 


180 


THE  APOSTATE. 


The  text,  Isiah,  45 :7 : “I  form  the  light  and  create 
darkness.  I make  peace  and  create  EYIL.  I the  Lord 
do  all  these.”  Here  is  the  answer. 

The  first  thought  that  will  occur  to  any  one  is,  what 
is  the  relation  exposed  here  as  to  man? 

Man,  of  necessity,  being  finite,  is  subject  to  law, 
the  law  within  him. 

Judas  in  sorrow  killed  himself.  The  greatest  Apostle 
of  Christ  turned  APOSTATE,  kissed  his  Lord  to 
death,  took  upon  his  own  name,  infamy,  and  died. 

, Some  day  the  sufferings  of  Judas  will  sweeten  the 
world  as  do  the  kisses  of  Mary  of  Bethany. 


Judas 

. . . Within  me  is  an  inner  self, 

That  looks  beyond  the  range  of  Earth  and  time — 
For  things  invisible.  The  way  is  closed: 

And  toiling  in  the  dark,  I falter,  fall; 

But  rise  and  wander  on.  The  inner  URGE 
Uplifts  my  failing  strength,  and  on  and  on 
I stagger  up  the  hill,  for  hope  inspires. 

And  rest  invites  my  weary  limbs. 


THE  APOSTATE. 


181 


The  ways  of  other  men  are  strange  to  me; 
Their  Loves  and  Friendships  all,  I must  eschew; 
They  hear  the  shouts  of  victory  for  them; 

And  wild  applause  from  fellow  of  their  kind. 

Behold  a Hero  home  from  war.  . . . 

Where  blood  was  let  for  him,  and  what  he  is. 

And  Nations,  rise,  amid  the  Earth's  butcheries. 

The  flags  are  red’  with  blood.  The  world's  a floor, 

Of  human  bones,  wept  o'er  and  wet  with  tears. 

Behold  the  Hero  now,  his  throne  is  built; 

And  on  it  hangs  a crown  to  show  his  power. 

And  gathered  there,  his  marshaled  hosts  are  bowed. 
To  give  him  praise.  Amid  the  throng  is  merged, 
The  widows  lately  grieved  by  him.  And  some — 

So  tender  that  their  speech  has  never  formed. 
And  this  is  glory  made  of  Man. 

...  So  beautiful  is  life  . . . 

The  fields  are  golden.  All  the  plains  are  green. 

The  “Harvest  Home"  is  come  and  blest  is  man — - 
The  grapes  hang  purple  at  his  door.  The  sun 
Makes  wine  for  him.  The  Courts  of  joy  are  full. 
Indeed ! The  poor,  pale  lip't  and  sad  are  come, 

A portion,  in  a world  so  great,  to  beg. 


182 


THE  APOSTATE. 


I,  Judas,  by  a kiss  gave  more  than  this. 

I gave  you  God  and  filled  your  mouth  with  song. 

I gave  the  world  a kiss  and  in  it  bliss. 

I loved  the  Lord  and  I loved,  the  world  of  wrong. 
While  in  Apostacy  I fall,  you  rise — 

And  curse  the  sacrifice. 


THE  INDIAN  IN  COURT 


There  occurs  to  me  a scene  in  a court  room  in 
Oklahoma.  An  aged  lawyer,  with  gray  locks  falling 
over  a massive  brow,  is  busy  with  papers;  he  looks 
at  the  by-standers,  selecting  a next  witness.  “Mrs. 
Soaring  Bull,  please  take  Ithe  stand/*  he  saidi.  A 
short,  thick,  greasy-faced  Indian  woman  appeared  in 
the  court  room  and  took  the  stand.  The  formal  ques- 
tions were  asked  and  brokenly  answered. 

Q.  “What  time  was  this  baby  born?”  questioned 
J.  T.  Bradley  (that  is  the  attorney’s  name.) 

A.  ‘No  sabe.  No,  no  what  you  say,”  came  the  an- 
swer. 

Q.  “Can’t  you  tell  us  the  time  of  the  year  this  took 
place?”  The  woman  shook  her  head. 

Q.  “Was  it  November,  or  October?” 

A.  “Me  no  know  October,  no  know  what  you  say,” 
said  Mrs.  Boaring  Bull. 

Then  followed  the  only  piece  of  brilliance  I ever 
detected,  not  caught  from  childhood,  I have  ever  wit- 


184 


THE  INDIAN  IN  COURT. 


nessed  in  that  peculiarly  good  town  after  five  years* 
residence. 

The  old  lawyer  looked  straight  in  the  Indian’s  eyes 
and  in  a soft,  low  voice  began  an  examination  the  like 
of  which  never  was  and  never  can  be  transcended. 

“Do  you  listen  to  the  birds  singing  in  the  trees 
when — (here  he  worked  his  fingers)  the  leaves  move, 
the  leaves  live?”  “Yes,”  she  answered.  “When  the 
birds  sing  so  in  the  leaves  then  did  this  take  place,  was 
this  Indian  baby  born.” 

“ISTo — 0 yes,  some — some  go” — here  she  motioned 
her  hand  southward.  “Do  you  look  at  the  leaves  on 
the  trees,  the  grass  on  the  ground,  the  com  in  the 
fields?”  A.  “0  yes,  all  time.”  Then,  holding  up  a 
piece  of  gold  money,  the  able  lawyer  asked,  “Were  the 
leaves  like  this;  did  they  look  like  this  gold?”  A. 
“No,  just  some — look  little.”  He  asked  again,  “Just 
* (moving  on  a piece  of  paper  with  his  finger)  i the 
edges  looked  like  gold,  and  some  of  the  birds  had  gone 
south  to  sing  and  soon  snow  would  fall  on  the  com  fields 
and  on  the  hay  and  at  the  tepee  door  the  ground  would 
look  white?” 


THE  INDIAN  IN  COURT. 


185 


A.  “Yes — me  like  that — me  understand  now.” 

She  took  a piece  of  paper  and  pointed  where  and 
how  far  the  sun  worked  gold  on  the  leaves  and  said, 
“Pretty  quick  all  like  gold.” 

“Then,”  said  the  lawyer,  “is  when  the  child  was 
bom  in  the  tepee  was  it  when  the  gold  was  gathering 
in  the  leavesr — when  the  song  of  the  south  birds  had 
ceased — then  the  little  papoose  cried  in  the  tent?” 

“Yes,”  answered  the  squaw,  whose  face  now  was 
alive  with  quivering  evidence  of  emotion. 

“May  it  please  the  court,  (Bradley.)  I submit  that 
the  time  has  been  fixed — nature  never  lies.  The  leaves 
had  gathered  gold,  the  south  birds  had  ceased  to  sing 
in  the  trees,  then  this  Indian  child  cried  in  the  tepee. 
The  Indian  baby’s  cry  speaks  to  you,  speaks  to  you  out 
of  the  gold  on  the  leaves,  speaks  to  you  in  the  silence 
of  the  south  birds  that  sang  their  summer  song  to  the 
Indian  woman’s  heart.  She  remembers  and  has  sworn; 
nature  speaks  to  your  judicial  conscience,  speaks  the 
truth  and,  sir,  there  is  no  mental  mode  to  evade  the 
force  of  this  evidence.  I submit  the  point  of  time  has 
been  established.” 


186  THE  INDIAN  IN  COURT. 

From  the  fences  of  environment  this  old  lawyer 
took  down  the  curtain  from  behind  which  the  truth 
looked  out  on  an  Indian  child  and  owned  it  as  legiti- 
mate, claiming  for  it  a right  to  land. 

I say  to  you,  that  you  may  hunt  legal  history  through 
and  you  will  not  find  anything  superior  to  this  search 
and  find  of  truth — found  by  primitive  method  under 
the  utmost  difficulty. 

Brilliant  and  forceful  always  are  the  simple  modes 
by  which  glory  and  truth  show  themselves.  This,  I 
know,  argues  against  adjectives  that  cover  the  beauti- 
ful in  forms  and  often  misleads  in  our  conclusions  of 
fact. 

Truth  today  weeps  behind  the  objectives  of  human 
scorn  while  justice  is  whipped  from  the  forum  because 
of  complex  methods  that  hide  the  leer  and  deformity 
on  the  faces  of  fallacies,  fallacies  that  bind  the  chil- 
dren uf  this  age  to  rule  of  a perished  time — the  ashes 
of  roses  blown  in  the  faces  of  the  living  Prophets. 

Summer  now  is  dying, 

With  it’s  passion  and  its  pain; 

Autumn’s  gold  is  flying. 

On  the  fields  of  flame — 


THE  INDIAN  IN  COUBT. 


187 


Where  the  blood  of  life  is  falling — 
Falling  back  to  come  again, 

Back  through  resurrection— 

Back  to  passion  and  to  pain. 


GOD  IS— IMMORTALITY  IS  A 
FACT 


The  Syzygy  of  Abiding  Places  Open  to  View. 


However  we  plan  life,  our  plans  are  subjunctive. 
There  is  that  about  all  we  think  of  ourselves  which  we 
call  mystery— the  shroud  and  pall  cover  our  laughter 
and  our  dreams. 

Yet  something  can  be  known,  we  may  know  that 
God  is. 

If  you  would  know  the  highest  right,  then  you  must 
drill  the  mind  to  metaphysical  thinking  and  restrain 
the  passion  of  fear  and  supplant  evasions  with  positive 
hope.  In  such  manner,  you  pave  the  way  for  the 
dimpled  feet  of  peace  to  bear  you  the  glory  of  joy — this 
is  the  true  estate  of  man. 

All  the  efforts  of  the  past  about  which  cluster  the  glory 
deeds  of  man  are  illumined  with  the  God  idea.  To- 
day the  God  idea  is  over  the  arch  of  all  that  is  build- 
ing. 


IMMORTALITY  IS  A FACT. 


189 


It  is  our  purpose  to  give  that  proof  which  will  sat- 
isfy the  mind  of  the  existence  of  deity. 

First,  that  GOD  is  as  a question  of  fact  for  the  mind 
to  solve  demands  peculiar  proof.  Hone  will  say  how- 
ever that  this  relieves  the  question  of  detail  argument. 

The  argument  is  a posteriori,  that  is,  from  effect  to 
cause.  This  is  only  the  mode  of  argument.  In  sub- 
stance we  shall  find  that  AXIOMS  or  first  truths  lay 
at  the  foundation. 

This  much  for  apology. 

The  first  axiom  that  lays  at  the  base  of  the  discus- 
sion is  the  truth  of  the  fact  of  self  existence.  That  I 
exist  is  known  to  me.  To  deny  this  is  to  deny  the 
denier,  a thing  absurd  and  the  fact  or  act  of  denial 
would  be  an  act  of  mind  affirmative  of  self  existence. 
Therefore  I know  that  I am — that  something  is. 

The  second  axiom  we  push  in  line  for  consideration 
is  the  truth  of  the  fact,  that  I did  not  always  exist. 
This  is  an  axiom  alright,  first  because  it  is  and  because 
it  is  in  the  conscience  as  a fact  that  conscience  had  a 

beginning. 


190 


GOD  IS 


The  third  axiom  we  wish  to  use  is  the  truth  of  the 
fact  that  the  finite  mind  can  not  think  of  something 
having  been  gotten  out  of  nothing.  Consequently  I 
realize  that  I came  from  something  I being  something. 

The  fourth  axiom  in  line  is  the  truth  of  the  fact 
that  there  can  not  be  an  endless  chain  of  DEPEND- 
ENT causes.  There  must  of  necessity  be  that  upon 
which  the  first  DEPENDENT  cause  depended,  viz.: 
The  Independent.  This  axiom  seems  to  bother  some 
but  try  it  and  the  evident  truth  will  appear.  All 
mathematics  uphold  it.  A base  for  every  demonstra- 
tion is  necessary,  the  circle  will  not  do,  will  answer  no 
demand.  This  intuition  of  the  mind  rescues  the 
human  from  the  beast  and  saves  the  race  from  invid- 
ious classification. 

The  fifth  axiom  we  offer  here  is  the  truth  of  the 
fact  that  it  can  not  be  thought  that  something  can 
be  gotten  out  of  a thing  not  in  the  thing,  or  you  can’t 
get  more  out  of  a thing  than  the  thing  holds  or 
contains.  This  were  to  get  something  out  of  nothing 
and  is  not  in  reason. 

The  sixth  axiom  is,  the  mind,  knows  the  fact  of 
necessary  being — that  the  dependent  depends  on  the 


IMMORTALITY  IS  A FACT. 


191 


independent  as  the  cause  of  the  existence  of  the  de- 
pendent. This  is  an  idea  of  reason  as  pure  as  any 
first  truth  not  so  familiar  but  just  as  staple,  try  it 
and  see.  If  this  is  not  true  then  there  is  a chain  of 
endless,  dependent  causes,  there  is  power  in  the  finite 
mind  to  think  of  getting  something  out  of  nothing, 
there  is  no  such  thing  as  demonstration.  Change  by 
which  we  differentiate  conscience  would  lack  certainty, 
but  we  know  that  we  exist  and  know,  it  an  act  of 
mind — conscience,  so  the  axiom. 

The  seventh  axiom  I call  to  aid  is  the  fact  that  the 
truths  which  are  first  and  in  their  nature  self  evident, 
combined  give  off  an  apparent  truth  as  first  and  as 
evident  as  though  a single  axiom  were  apprehended. 
This  must  be  so  because  the  cause  is  of  a kind. 

That  these  axioms  invincibly  dispose  to  one  con- 
clusion, that  God  is. 

I suppose  that  were  Sir  William  Hamilton  living 
we  would  be  treated  to  a few  definitions  as  to  what  an 
axiom  is  and  that  we  can  not  argue  to  support  an 
axiom.  But  I answer  first  that  to  define  an  axiom  puts 
the  matter  at  large  for  argument  yet  I know  that  the 
test  is  the  weight  in  the  mind  of  the  statements  made. 


192 


GOD  IS 


I believe  the  skeptic  will  experience  some  trouble  in 
avoiding  the  convincing  power  of  these  self  evident 
truths  run  to  one  end,  and  that  end  the  mind’s  con- 
clusion that  God  is  and  is  to  be  known. 

We  hold  that  that  which  enters  the  mind  through 
the  realm  of  demonstrative  reasoning  enters  the  mind 
as  conscience  holds  first  truth. 

Then  these  axioms  make  out  the  case  that  God  is. 

(If  a process  (were  discovered  tomorrow  by  which 
life  could  be  generated  and  mind  propelled  the  argu- 
ment above  would  not  be  moved.  Dependent  causation 
in  its  line  settles  nothing,  no  question  ultimately,  and 
can  not  nor  would  the  relation  then  answer  the 
absolute  now  of  any  supposition. 

Change  as  you  may,  change  can  not  empty  some- 
thing into  nothing  and  we  are  as  individuals — some- 
things. 


IMMORTALITY  IS  A FACT. 


193 


IMlM OETALIT Y AS  A FACT  LOOKS  OUT  OF 
THE  DEMONSTRATION. 

Against  the  inevitable  orthodoxy  of  the  foregoing 
outline  of  reason  for  faith  in  the  perpetuity  of  being 
because  God  is,  the  skeptic  spirit  of  this  age  lifts  itself 
in  a profane  hypothesis,  viz. : Evolution. 

By  this  view  naturalists  (some  of  them)  insist  that 
we  can  make  no  statement  of  faith  that  is  more  than 
a mere  aberration  of  mind  (and  alienists  of  the  mod- 
ern school  declare  all  religion  is  without  foundation  in 
fact  and  so  far  delusion)  this  however  is  only  a change 
of  attitude. 

We  here  propose  to  answer  the  hypothesis  and  clean 
the  sky  of  dust  kicked  up  from  the  corpses  of  dead 
hopes.  And  by  facts  show  that  the  conclusions  of  faith 
are  inevitable.  That  immortality  of  sentient  being 
forever  finite  can  not  be  denied  to  the  mind  as  its 
most  certain  conclusion. 

Let  me  suggest  that  fact  always  has  mental  char- 
acter. A thing  beyond  observation  could  remain  for- 
J 13 


194 


GOD  IS 


ever  yet  not  be  a fact.  A fact  is  something  that  is 
and  is  known  else  we  could  not  treat  of  it. 

We  confine  ourselves  to  one  fact  in  this  inquiry, 
viz. : What  is  identity  ? and  begin  our  argument  in- 
ductively from  environment  of  self,  finding  in  mind 
that  manifests,  elements,  probative. 

There  are  three  primary  laws  of  thought.  First, 
the  law  of  identity.  Second,  the  law  of  excluded 
middle.  Third,  the  law  of  contradictories.  These  are 
inherent  in  mind  as  laws  and  warrant  for  all  infer- 
ence. 

Identity  marks  the  line  that  secures  individuality, 
it  is  the  ultimate  that  we  know  about  the  fact  of  self 
existence,  that  we  are  and  not  something  else.  Of  this 
we  are  just  as  conscious  as  that  we  are  in  esse,  for  it 
is  the  ego  that  takes  cognition  of  the  fact  that  thought 
is.  And  of  course  is  single,  impassable,  not  multiple 
nor  definable  in  the  ordinary,  because  it  must  be  con- 
sidered indivisible,  can  therefore  be  only  nominally 
known  in  language.  It  is  not  composed,  that  which 
is  composed  can  not  have  identity  in  any  proper  sense 
for  it  is  subject  to  change  and  change  makes  predi- 
cation of  identity  impossible. 


IMMORTALITY  IS  A FACT. 


195 


Then  we  say  identity  can  not  be  derived  from  mass, 
nor  complex  combination,  that  it  can  only  come  from 
a cause  like  itself. 

So  then  a single  line  denoted  by  Atavism  (that  lav/ 
that  calls  everything  into  line  of  its  own  kind)  is 
the  line  of  identity’s  dependent  causation  and  this  is 
being;  being  that  is  ultimate,  single,  indivisible,  im- 
perishable. 

This  identity  of  individuality  manifests  intellectual 
quality  in\  man  that  can  not  djivest — the  power  of 
which  cannot  be  derived  but  passed. 

Now  look,  if  identity  could  be  derived,  what  would 
be  the  first  tendency?  Then  would  not  that  be  the 
identity?  At  least  any  thinker  must  see  that  a com- 
plex whole  is  not  identity,  but  a mass  representing 
many  single  identities  that  can  never  be  known  pre- 
cisely as  a THING,  but  things  of  thought  (Nominal- 
ism). 

So  body  or  form  is  not  identity.  Form  is  relative 
to  identity.  Anyone  ought  to  see  that  body  composed 
cannot  afford  ideas  as  a whole  of  ultimates  at  the  end 
of  analysis  and  synthesis  builds  of  singlers. 


196 


GOD  IS 


Force  connot  be  said  to  be  the  cause  of  a singular 
identity  because  force  is  diffused  and  does  not  con- 
strain and  matter  is  en  masse. 

Let  us  to  the  proof.  Time  is  an  abstract  we  make  by 
use  of  occurrence  in  duration,  but  time  is  a measure, 
nominally  at  least.  Now  that  which  is  of  universal 
occurrence,  single,  same,  and  impassable  in  thought, 
yet  is  persistent  by  presence  or  manifestation  through 
long  laps  and  lapses  of  time,  must  be  accepted  by  the 
mind  as  an  entitive  identity.  Such  as  that  that  mani- 
fests in  directed  movement  of  activity,  intellectual, 
emotional  qualities,  mind.  This  is  identity  of  indi- 
viduality. 

We  know  this  by  a mental  mode,  for  we  can  not 
think  of  two  without  first  thinking  one..  Analysis  is 
the  manner  and  the  mind  power  to  grasp  the  neces- 
sary singular  and  one  as  the  law  of  composite  think- 
ing and  leads  us  back  to  the  first  law  of  mental  nature, 
identity.  This  is  the  possible  and  no  system  of  thought 
is  possible  otherwise. 

What  then  is  the  fact  we  know  by  this  mode?  We 
answer  oneness  of  necessity  inhering  in  things  indi- 
visible, indestructible,  manifesting  in  attributes  but 


IMMORTALITY  IS  A FACT. 


197 


not  complex.  We  know  this  then  that  identity  can  not 
be  derived.  We  know  that  identity  is  and  what  we 
know  of  it  is  the  fact  element. 

Change  takes  place  in  wholes,  in  composed  objects 
not  defined  to  us,  change  is  manifest  in  decay  (a  slip- 
ping of  adhesion),  process  does  not  work  in  ultimates, 
can  not  be  thought  so.  The  proof  of  ultimates  is  that 
we  must  think  of  objects  and  these  rest  on  the  law  of 
identity  in  thought  and  at  base  must  be  thought  inde- 
structible as  the  basic  idea  for  system  of  thinking 
itself.  We  can  not  think  otherwise,  we  must  think  this 
wise. 

Now  the  very  truth  that  we  know  is  absolute  proof 
pf  consciousness.  Consciousness  'were  impossible  by 
process  for  process  is  manifest  in  change. 

The  integrity  of  psychic  datum  is  maintained  be- 
cause identity  is  the  first  law  of  mental  being. 

Memory  is  true  to  the  idea  of  this  integrity  and  stand- 
ing amidst  the  mystery  of  change  of  body  it  speaks 
of  the  perpetuity  of  being  as  one. 

So  then  it  can  not  be  thought  of  as  that  by  the 
law  of  variation  in  wholes  manifest  in  decay  the  ever 


198 


GOD  IS 


persistent  singular  and  necessary  one — Identity  is  pro- 
duced or  that  by  such  law  identity  is  derived. 

The  doctrine  of  evolution  can  not  maintain  law  as 
a creative  cause  of  that  out  of  which  it  emanates,  nor 
can  it  be  said  that  we  find  ones  in  wholes.  One  is  the 
first  law  of  mind  as  it  seeks  to  first  know. 


MYSTICISM  IS  THE  LIFE  OF  MATERIALISM. 

Modern  Materialism  deals  with  the  seen  so  its 
apostles  say  but  we  doubt  it.  Continually  materialists 
mock  at  the  worshipful  in  man  and  deal  blow  after 
blow  at  what  they  are  pleased  to  call  orthodoxy.  Amid 
the  wreck  of  form  the  shouts  of  skepticism  are  heard 
today  as  though  a victory  over  the  dead  were  a glorious 
thing. 

We  admit  the  wreck  of  form  and  say  that  it  con- 
duces to  our  argument. 

We  apprehend  the  breaking  up  of  form  and  form 
judgments  of  the  process.  But  judgment  is  not  ulti- 
mate here,  if  that  judgment  is  based  on  mere  appear- 


ance. 


IMMORTALITY  IS  A FACT. 


199 


To  quote  from  Sir  Wm.  Hamilton,  “In  short  it  is 
impossible  for  the  human  mind  to  think  what  it  thinks 
existent,  lapsing  into  non-existence,”  and  as  we  have 
seen  that  identical  individuality  is  of  necessity  single 
and  inadvisable,  it  follows  that  something  must  remain 
forever.  That  the  wreck  of  that  which  is  only  related 
to  the  substantial  and  one  is  no  proof  of  the  end  of 
the  unit  of  being.  But  clears  the  one  by  process  to 
its  ultimate  state. 

(Here  is  reason  to  the  rescue.  The  finite  mind  in  its 
intuitive  power  being  conscious  of  the  independent — • 
the  infinite  as  cause,  knows  that  there  is  no  equation 
between  the  two  as  to  the  power  to  know  and  that  acts 
of  the  infinite  are  beyond  the  power  of  judgment  in 
the  finite  mind,  and  infers  that  the  laws  of  Sponta- 
neity, and  instantaneity  in  the  infinite  hold  the  process 
by  which  the  entative  individual  man  escapes  the  wreck 
of  the  form. 

This  escape  is  necessary  in  thought  and  may  be 
called  the  proof _ of  immortality,  for  the  finite  mind 
knows  that  instantaneous  production  and  instantaneous 
change  must  co-ordinate  and  would  make  creation  im- 
possible. That  therefore  perpetuity  is  a law  of  and  in 


200 


GOD  IS 


creation,  that  law  of  the  infinite — the  changeless,  the 
absolute,  and  that  relative  change  can  not  effect  the 
law,  but  must  accommodate  it  to  the  end,  to  its  ulti- 
mate, viz. : the  affinity  in  the  absolute. 

The  finite  mind  is  conscious  of  self  existence;  some- 
thing is. 

The  human  mind  can  not  think  of  something  being 
gotten  out  of  nothing  but  thinks  of  it  as  having  come 
from  something  as  its  cause. 

The  mind  of  man  can  not  think  of  something  exist- 
ent lapsing  into  non-existence,  but  must  think  of  it  as 
everlasting  and  perpetual. 

And  the  mind  must  infer  that  at  the  ultimate  change 
the  identity,  the  existing  being  is  in  harmony  with 
environment. 

Therefore  is  not  in  a state  of  change  but  in  a state 
of  being. 

Because  affinity  in  the  absolute  is  reached.  This 
is  immortality — proof  of  the  substance  of  the  issue  is 
sufficient. 


IMMORTALITY  IS  A FACT. 


201 


As  to  the  sentient  state  of  being  we  now  offer  the 
only  conclusion  which  to  our  mind  seems  reasonable. 


A SYZYGY. 

If  we  take  up  a term  for  use  in  this  instance  we  will 
accommodate  the  issue.  However,  I do  not  build  on  the 
advantage  of  the  old  Nominalist.  The  term  desired 
is  correlation.  That  I possess  power  to  know  is  that  I 
term  intellect.  I am  conscious  that  I exist  and  I am 
equally  conscious  the  non-ego  exists  apart  from  the  me 
or  ego,  and  I am  also  aware  that  this  ego  is  limited, 
so  is  the  non-ego  that  touches  my  senses  through  which 
I take  cognizance  of  the  immediate  non-ego.  This 
consciousness  is  my  ultimate  mental  effort,  the  high- 
est reach  of  my  thinking  power.  Of  a same  kind  of 
mental  effort  I am  conscious  that  I can  not  think  of  an 
endless  chain  of  DEPENDENT  causes.  I must  think 
positively  of  identity,  of  something  for  nothing,  is  un- 
thinkable. Limitation  and  finite  are  convertable  terms 
in  this  instance.  Here  by  the  inherent  laws  of  mind  not 
in  contrast  but  in  correlation,  the  infinite  and  finite 
are  necessary  terms  to  speak  my  ultimate  mental  state. 


202 


GOD  IS 


We  therefore  conclude  that  this  ultimate  mental 
state  inheres  in  the  identical  entative  being  because  this 
mental  effort  could  come  not  from  the  impulse  of  many 
working  causes  but  from  the  ultimate  singular  cause 
for  the  effort  is  the  last  strain  and  single  impulse  of 
the  being  on  the  last  conceivable  object  of  thought. 

The  mental  power  is  therefore  as  single  as  the 
identity  of  being  itself  and  is  of  its  essence. 

The  mental  power  thus  observed  fixes  the  sentient 
state  of  being  so  far  as  man  can  think  and  man  can 
think  no  otherwise  if  he  will  think  ultimately. 

To  return  to  change,  the  perplexing  thing  of  thought, 
we  take  up  our  term  at  the  head  of  this  essential  par- 
agraph, a Syzygy.  The  intuitive  power  of  the  mind  sees 
in  every  relative  entity  or  dependent  being  the  extreme 
term  of  correspondence  and  here  is  where  our  syzygy 
appears  to  view.  Tomorrow  we  expect  and  experience 
no  difficulty  in  our  mental  state,  but  we  are  located  in 
today  and  at  this  place,  these  terms  are  relative  to  the 
last  degree,  yet  location  is  the  very  gist  of  this 
issue.  For  as  we  take  it  habit  is  the  accident  of  related 
location.  Through  three  worlds  the  man  of  twenty- 
one  years  has  come  to  his  estate.  His  being,  his  present 


IMMORTALITY  IS  A FACT. 


203 


estate,  his  past  environment,  are  parts  of  the  induction 
we  are  to  consider  under  this  head. 

If  there  be  one  universe  there  can  be  no  more  and 
only  one  infinite  entity  can  be  in  this  universe.  So  then 
finite  spheres  are  necessary  and  true  terms  of  a just 
coneeptionalism.  It  is  immaterial  if  the  sphere  is  a 
globe  of  matter  or  a spiritual  scope,  if  so  that  beings 
exist  therein. 

Thus  we  reach  the  idea  of  tomorrow  as  it  reaches 
out  of  the  today  into  another  tomorrow,  also  we  take 
hold  of  the  present  state  of  the  man  of  twenty-one. 
The  identity  of  being,  perpetual,  sentient,  necessitates 
the  syzygy  of  the  sphere  through  which  he  moves  to 
his  ultimate  environment.  There  are  three  states  of 
man.  First  the  inpotential,  in  esse  or  being,  the  neces- 
sary final  free  from  modification  by  the  relative  to 
affinity  in  the  absolute.  The  location  is  of  no  conse- 
quence to  ultimate  and  singular  being. 

The  line  of  syzygy  of  these  worlds  or  spheres  is  the 
inherent  law  of  progress  that  we  have  seen  carry  the 
individual  through  three  material  worlds  to  the  estate 
of  21. 


204 


GOD  IS 


DO  WE  KNOW  THE  ABSOLUTE? 

When  we  are  conscious  of  self  we  know  the  relative 
absolute,  and  when  we  know  that  there  can  not  be  an 
endless  chain  of  dependent  causes,  that  of  necessity 
there  must  be  that  npon  which  the  first  dependent 
canse  depended  viz. : the  independent,  we  know  the  ab- 
solute. Not  in  the  definative  sense  but  we  know  that 
He  is.  As  Spencer  says  “It  is  the  warrant  for  all  our 
sther  knowledge.”  A mental  datum. 

If  we  take  any  other  view  we  make  the  relative  of 
necessity  absolute.  The  idea  of  the  relative  necessi- 
tates the  idea  of  the  relative  related  to  the  absolute. 
And  the  related  relates  to  the  absolute.  Through  the 
syzygy  we  have  outlined  here,  relative  environment  can- 
not be  thought  of  as  defeating  affinity  in  the  absolute. 

We  conclude  that  God  is  and  that  immortality  is  a 
fact  and  that  the  syzygy  of  abiding  places  is  open  to 
view. 

This  only  request  we  would  make  that  the  writers 
of  the  future  be  bold  and  distinguish  the  great  mental 
datum  as  the  greatest  knowledge  man  possesses  and  is 
the  warrant  of  all  He  knows  in  the  definative  scope. 


CONSCIOUSNESS 


I hereby  undertake  to  advance  the  line  of  relative 
thought. 

In  this  undertaking  my  purpose  is  to  make  the  ab- 
solute a reality. 

And  I furthermore  mean  to  construe  to  the  human 
understanding  the  consciousness  of  the  infinite. 

This  done,  I hope  to  take  my  place  among  the  philos- 
ophers of  the  world  and  in  this  instance  to  impress 
upon  the  time  in  which  I live  the  significance  of  this 
ages  philosophic  thought. 

That  history  may  repeat ; “That  every  age  gave  to  the 
race  in  its  philosophy  the  proper  emphasis  and  meaning 
of  the  certain  epoch’s  tone  of  intellectual  energy. 

In  the  first  place  I give  definitions  that  have  gone 
before:  Whatever  they  may  signify. 

Whatever  these  definitions  did  signify  to  the  thinkers 
of  those  times  in  which  they  were  given  forth,  little 
else  do  they  afford  us,  than  a mere  nominalism. 


206 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


For  the  very  cogent  reason,  that  advance  in  invention 
and  discovery  has  completed  an  invincible  induction 
which  is  in  present  consciousness  a reality. 

For  the  purpose,  I cite  first  the  apt  and  intensive  in- 
terrogative residuum  of  St.  Paul  in  I Cor.  2 : II.  “For 
what  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a man,  save  the  spirit 
of  man  which  is  in  man”  Paul  was  a triunist.  He 
saw  a man  as  a spirit  served  by  body.  The  body  made, 
maintained,  and  moved  by  vital  force,  life  or  soul.  Body, 
soul  and  spirit. 

And  thus  Paul  said  in  his  question,  a man  in  his  self 
knows  himself,  consciousness,  self  knowledge. 

The  foregoing  definition  will  be  found  nominally  to 
be  extensive  sufficiently  and  to  the  self  thinker  intensive 
for  realization. 

Sir  William  Hamilton  defined  consciousness  to  be  as 
follows : 

“Consciousness  is  thus  on  the  one  hand,  the  recogni- 
tion by  the  mind  or  ego  of  its  own  affections.  In  other 
words,  the  self  affirmation  that  certain  modifications 
are  known  by  me  and  that  these  modifications  are 
mine.”  Again  he  says:  “Annihilate  the  consciousness 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


207 


of  the  object  you  annihilate  the  consciousness  of  the 
operation.” 

Thus  Hamilton  is  seen  to  be  a Relativist  and  poses  a 
“Mine”  for  self  knowing  itself. 

The  argument  we  shall  adduce  will,  we  believe,  expose 
the  sophism  of  Hamilton's  doctrine. 

Cousin  the  Great  French  Eclectic  and  absolutist, 
wrote  of  consciousness  as  thus  seen:  “This  Me  that  we 
are  is  Finite;  the  not  Me  which  limits  it  is  Finite;  they 
are  so  in  different  degrees,  but  they  are  equally  so;  we 
are  then  still  in  the  sphere  of  the  finite.  Is  there  noth- 
ing else  in  consciousness? 

Yes,  at  the  same  time  that  consciousness  seizes  the 
Me  as  finite,  in  opposition  to  the  not  me,  finite  itself, 
it  stops  neither  at  the  one  nor  at  the  other;  it  sets  out 
thence  to  conceive  a being  that  has  all  the  characters 
opposed  to  those  which  the  Me  finds  in  itself  and  in  the 
not  Me  which  is  analogous  to  it.  This  being  is  absolute 
as  the  Me  and  the  not  Me  are  relative ; it  is  a necessary 
substance  as  the  Me  and  the  not  Me  are  contingent  sub- 
stances. And  is  also  a cause.” 


208 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


Thus  it  may  be  seen  that  Cousin  is  opposed  to  Hamil- 
ton and  is  in  accord  with  St.  Paul  in  his  version. 

Herbert  Spencer  being  more  of  a nominalist  than 
possessing  any  other  character  as  a thinker  undertook 
to  synthet  the  opposed  views  of  Hamilton  and  Cousin 
and  at  the  same  time  to  make  a minor  premise  of  Data 
furnished  by  a modern  school  of  scientists  (Evolution- 
ists) placed  Cousin's  philosophy  as  a general  necessary 
“mental  datum”  and  Hamilton's  relative  philosophy  as 
construed  and  known  knowledge  treating  phenomena, 
as  alone  capable  of  being  known  and  the  absolute  as 
unknowable. 

It  is  within  the  utmost  respect  I use  the  definitions 
afforded  us  by  those  master  men.  The  race  is  indebted 
to  them  so  deeply,  I fear,  that  mankind  will  never  pay. 
Imperishable  marble  to  their  names  will  not  suffice,  nor 
will  the  love  of  man.  A courageous  adventure  forward 
is  the  only  appreciable  mode;  they  were  workers  for 
mankind. 

So  feeling  somewhat  the  weight  of  them  but  more  of 
the  theme,  without  apology.  I essay  a different  and 
more  sufficient  method  of  construing  the  knowable  to 
the  mind  and  the  knowable  to  me  means  without  dis- 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


209 


tinction,  all.  For  distinction  on  difference  is  only  when 
in  thought  the  mind  takes  cognition  of  its  own  opera- 
tions; emphasized  by  the  objective  of  thought  itself. 

It  is  well  in  the  first  instance  to  observe  that  here 
nominalism  as  philosophy  all  sufficient  is  denied  and 
that  the  conceptionalism  of  a period  is  not  the  true 
mentor  of  a following  racial  period  of  thought-ference. 
The  real  or  substantial  is  thought  of  and  of  it  this  time 
has  its  own  thorough  going  conceptionalism,  or  should 
have,  and  nominalism  must  adjust  itself  to  express  the 
time’s  true  sense  of  things. 

Then  following  this  introduction,  I define  Conscious- 
ness to  be.  To  Think,  the  first  operation  of  self  in  feel- 
ing the  weight  of  an  objective.  Weight  of  course  is 
used  not  to  express  the  gross  sense  of  heavy  and  self  is 
used  as  mind  is  used. 

To  think  is  to  be  conscious  and  the  thought,  of  a 
thing,  complete  in  the  mind’s  operation,  is  conscious- 
ness. Whatever  the  amount  of  the  thought,  is  the  sum 
of  the  consciousness  of  the  objective  thought  of  and 
to  the  extent  of  its  completeness  is  of  the  essence  of 
Consciousness  as  is  the  extent  of  the  consciousness  of 

that  that  is  of  the  utmost  relative  and  phenomenal. 

14  J 


210 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


Because  that  which  is  conceived  of  as  the  relative 
affects  the  mind  through  the  same  mental  operation  as 
does  the  cognition  of  the  absolute.  It  is  cognition  sim- 
ply, simply,  impassable,  but  persistent  in  thought  and 
is  its  essence  or  quality.  (The  best  words  we  possess.) 

DISCUSSION":  It  is  now  too  clearly  known  that 
the  mind  to  think  must  possess  at  least  a potential  ob- 
ject to  afford  thought;  that  therefore  nothing  as  a 
term  has  no  objective  and  is  simply  a privative  term 
denoting  to  the  extent,  lack  of  characters  possessed  by 
things  observed  to  possess  them  and  not  adhering  in 
others. 

Potential,  power  to  be,  cannot  be  said,  when  it  per- 
sists as  against  process,  not  to  have  back  of  it,  some- 
thing in  esse  or  being. 

For  a fact,  Potential,  demands  just  this  conception- 
alism. 

This  then  disposes  of  Sir  Wm.  Hamilton’s  theory,  viz.. 
That  contradictories  afford  the  only  manner  of  constru- 
ing to  the  understanding  the  consciousness  of  that,  that 
is  thought  of. 

For  if  one  contradictory  persists  to  construe  to  the 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


211 


mind  the  reality  of  its  opposed  term,  then  these  contra- 
dictories are  equally  so  and  are  interchangeable  and  if 
one  contradictory  is  impossible  of  being  mentally  con- 
strued^ the  other  must  be  equally  so. 

This  brings  the  argument  to  open  absurdity.  For  it 
is  seen  that  if  the  position  is  taken  the  real  becomes  by 
reversing  the  terms  the  unreal  and  thought  all  thought 
as  thought  ceases. 

But  the  contrary  is  true ; IDENTITY  is  the  first  law 
of  the  mind,  no  thought  is  possible  as  thought  without 
Sts  corresponding  object.  Whjich  is  realized  in  the 
operation  of  mind  or  thinking.  Thought  is  af- 
firmation not  negation  and  negation  as  exclusion  from 
that  that  is,  as  no  entity  is  not  in  mental  datum.  The 
mind  thinks  of  entities. 

The  mind  perceives,  apprehends,  the  objective,  (And 
since  Bead’s  time  IDEALISM  has  had  no  place  in 
philosophy.)  forms  concept  of  it  and  names  the  con- 
cept to  signify  the  objective  that  afforded  the  thought. 

Now  that  that  is,  is  an  object  of  thought.  To  think 
of  it  is  to  be  conscious  of  it  and  this  is  consciousness, 


212 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


no  more  and  no  less  and  whether  the  objective,  the 
thought  of,  in  the  concept  is  finite  or  infinite. 

This  form  of  the  argument  places  the  substantive  of 
the  question  as  I would  have  it  placed. 

And  this  brings  us  in  the  discussion  to  the  very  sim- 
ple element  of  procedure  or  nominalism,  the  element  on 
which  Sir  William  Hamilton  placed  so  much  stress;  so 
much  indeed  as  to  be  the  foundation  on  which  he  raised 
the  superstructure  of  his  whole  philosophy,  that  philos- 
ophy which  gave  to  the  Agnostic  of  modern  times  a 
seeming  right  to  fashion  anew  an  old  scepticism.  The 
element  of  which  we  speak  is  thus  stated  by  Hamilton 
“But  how  can  there  be  remembrance,  of  the  absolute  and 
its  intuitions  ? As  out  of  time,  and  space,  and  relation, 
and  difference?  But  as  remembrance  is  only  possible 
under  these  conditions  of  the  understanding  it  is  con- 
sequently impossible."  He  says:  he  defies  solution  of 
this  objection. 

Of  course  to  grant  him  his  assumed  position  that  “to 
think  is  to  condition"  it  follows  that  all  thought  is  con- 
ditional, the  Infinite  being  unconditioned  is  unknowable. 
This  doctrine  of  the  conditional  is  his  and  so  far  as  I 

am  concerned  he  is  welcome  to  it  with  all  its  glory.  But 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


213 


it  is  seen  that  Hamilton  begs  the  question  under  the 
smoke  of  his  own  artilery.  His  nominalism  led  him 
estray,  hear  him.  He  says,  “to  think  is  to  condition.” 
After  this  it  is  easy  sailing.  For  of  course  we  cannot 
limit  the  unlimited  so  we  may  be  able  to  think  of  it. 
But  a question.  Are  we  not  now  thinking  of  it  ? 

Wonderful  indeed  it  is  that  such  a doctrine  should 
ever  have  been  a vogue  with  any  number  of  philosoph- 
ers and  that  its  author  should  have  been  accredited  as 
the  most  profound  philosopher  of  his  time  and  ever  of 
his  country  (Scotland). 

It  occurs  to  me  that  time,  place,  relation,  and  differ- 
ence as  objectives  of  thought  are  in  the  same  place  of 
difficulty  in  the  first  instance  as  does  the  Infinite  occur. 

How  do  we  know  of  time,  place,  difference  and  re- 
lation? Here  we  come  face  to  face  with  the  difficult 
question  of  it  all.  How  do  we  know?  The  position  of 
Hamilton  avoids  no  difficulty  nor  posits  the  ultimate. 
It  is  seen  that  only  his  position  and  doctrine,  unaoie  to 
account  to  the  understanding  fails  in  its  own  weakness 
and  the  conclusion  Hamilton  reaches  is  the  conclusion 
of  his  own  incapable  system.  (Nominalism.) 


214 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


If  as  Hamilton  suggests  that  we  know  by  condition, 
that  to  think  is  to  condition  the  thing  thought  of  to  the 
mind,  this  outrages  the  doctrine  of  the  conditional  it- 
self. For  its  last  assumption  is  under  the  hypothesis, 
that  the  mind  itself  so  works  under  innate  limitations, 
and  the  assumption  that  this  of  necessity  limits  the 
thing  thought  of,  is  out  of  and  beyond  the  hypothesis 
for  it  is  an  assumption  based  on  the  supposed  limits  of 
the  understanding  to  this  finality. 

If  in  this  way  only,  a thing  real  can  be  construed  to 
the  understanding,  then  at  last  the  law  of  contradic- 
tories is  primary;  one  of  which  is  true  of  a things  the 
other  false.  This  is  the  the  reductio  ad  absurdum  of 
philosophy  as  we  have  seen. 

But  this  is  not  the  case.  We  condition  no  thing 
when  we  think  of  it.  The  mind  possesses  the  power  or 
faculty  to  think  of  an  object.  And  this  faculty  is  not 
a condition  but  an  energy  (force).  Hamilton  sought  a 
name  (condition)  then  assumed  to  think  is  to  condition 
and  the  absolute  is  unconditional,  and  cannot  be 
thought. 

The  difficulty  is  not  thereby  solved.  How  do  we 
think?  (Persists.) 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


215 


That  we  do  think  is  questioned  by  none  and  to  think 
is  the  ultimate  consideration.  To  say  consciousness  is 
the  ultimate  term  then  bring  the  term  this  side  of  to 
think  itself  does  not  obviate  the  difficulty  but  only  ex- 
poses the  sophism  of  the  nominalistic  school. 

Nor  do  the  materialists  afford  a better  doctrine  for 
the  purpose.  For  blood  and  nerves  and  purposeless 
force  no  more  make  a man  than  brick  and  mortar  and 
trowel  make  a house. 

There  are  two  energies  in  man..  One  atavistic;  the 
other  possessing  spontaneity;  the  one  subject  to  in- 
variably material  law,  the  other  acting  ever  over  ma- 
terial law  making  progress;  the  one  instinct  to  appease 
demands  purely  structural;  the  other  without  demand 
spontaneously  acting  out  of,  over  and  beyond  material 
environments. 

The  best  material  hypothesis  affords  no  solution.  For 
matter  without  semblance  of  thought  to  so  act  as  to  as- 
sume form  and  look  back  at  itself  and  apprehend  itself 
and  afford  a psychology  is  the  ridiculous,  fathered  by 
philosophy. 

This  is  the  ultimate  of  materialism,  at  least  the  mod- 


216 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


ern  mind  will  hardly  take  it  seriously  that  the  great 
thought  of  the  world  traveled  up  a nerve  tract  and 
found  a home  where  all  nerves  end. 

However  it  is  not  with  materialism  we  directly  con- 
tend,  time  will  throw  away  all  of  its  own  rubbish.  If 
you  will  turn  to  your  Webster’s  Unabridged  Dictionary, 
you  will  read  consciousness  defined  by  Hamilton  not 
Cousin  nor  Paul.  And  this  is  the  obstacle  against  which 
we  hurl  our  strength,  the  definition  is  not  true,  we 
know  it  to  be  false  to  the  fact  of  consciousness. 

We  know  this  by  the  very  things  of  like  kind,  pos- 
sessed by  Hamilton  and  others,  only  they  possessed  not 
so  many  and  things  known  today,  known  to  be  real  were 
unknowable  to  them.  This  invasion  of  what  was  the 
unknowable  to  the  old  nominalist  takes  the  feet  from 
under  the  doctrine  of  the  conditional. 

For  instance,  the  quality  of  the  voice  kept  by  the 
phonograph  and  the  sense  that  passes  the  scheme  of  the 
wireless  telegraphy  and  even  the  telephone. 

The  wire  does  not  change  to  accommodate  the  differ- 
ent qualities  of  voice.  Where  is  the  answering  condi- 
tion? 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


217 


Yet  we  realize  in  consciousness,  the  tones.  You  say 
the  tones  are  based  on  difference.  Not  at  all,  they  sur- 
vive in  recognition,  the  tone  giver  may  be  miles  away, 
you  may  not  know  the  place  and  space  is  unlimited ; the 
tone  may  be  unknown  to  you  and  so  the  relation  and 
yet  without  comparison  or  contrast  instantly  the  quality 
of  the  voice,  reaches  and  seizes  consciousness. 

This  is  no  longer  the  phenomenal;  it  is  the  real. 

The  simple  wire  will  not  answer.  The  wave  of  the 
wireless  is  silent,  yet  pregnant  with  sense  impulse.  The 
material  of  the  phonograph  holding,  as  in  echo,  voices 
and  their  very  qualities  starts  them  into  reverberations 
mechanically,  and  the  sleep  of  a tomb  is  awakened  by 
the  mystery  of  the  voice  of  life. 

These  you  say  come  out  of  conditions  with  which  we 
are  familiar  and  are  part  of  the  common  knowledge. 
So  say  I,  but  this  does  not  answer  how  we  take  hold 
of  them  in  consciousness  now  after  their  starting  condi- 
tions have  ceased  and  no  adequate  conditions  are  extant. 
There  is  a residuum,  not  within  present  conditions.  Of 
it  we  inquire. 


218 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


I answer  you,  this  is  the  induction  of  which  we  speak. 
The  induction  that  moves  into  demonstration. 

That  which  enters  the  mind  through  the  realm  of 
demonstrative  reasoning  enters  the  mind  as  conscious 
knowledge.  The  mind  has  no  power  to  oppose 
the  certainty.  And  yet  such  persist  in  the  mind  as 
a positive  psychic  posit. 

The  very  uncertainty  of  the  Relative  Doctrine  defeats 
it  as  an  answering  and  satisfying  philosophy. 

The  spontaneity  and  instantaneity  of  the  mind  that 
contradict  Materialism  and  defeat  the  old  definitions  of 
Hamilton  and  Spencer  of  Consciousness,  that  make  pro- 
gress and  are  the  development  of  psychic  energy  into 
mental  status  so  to  he  able  to  accept  the  general  familiar 
knowable  and  grapple  with  things  certain  without  com- 
plex mental  process,  make  this  invasion. 

In  fact  let  us  ask  the  last  question  of  the  conditional, 
viz..  What  is  condition  itself  ? To  answer,  that  condi- 
tion is  the  thing  or  environment  or  circumstance  or 
time  or  place  or  relation  or  difference  or  all  of  these,  of 
which  the  thing  identified  in  thought  arose  or  becomes 
possible  in  thought  will  not  solve  the  question.  What  are 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


219 


all  these  ? They  as  objects  of  thought  still  persist  as 
much  so  as  the  Infinite  or  absolute  persists.  Behold  the 
pale  face  of  Hamilton  looking  out  of  his  doctrine ! 

Again  what  do  we  mean  by  construing  the  thought 
or  thoughts  of  a thing  to  the  understanding?  In  fact 
there  is  no  such  thing.  This  is  simply  the  mind  of 
some  ingenious  philosopher  naming  certain  mental  pro- 
cesses or  as  he  assumes  processes  and  classifying  the 
names  of  them,  then  calling  his  classification  philoso- 
phy; The  dictionarian  publishing  the  philosophic  ex- 
pressions, this  is  all. 

The  things  of  thought  are  in  the  Universe,  the  mind 
apprehends  them  and  this  is  consciousness  of  them. 

The  known  to  be  necessary  are  real  for  the  mind  has 
no  power  to  deny  them,  but  this  is  not  it  of  which  we 
inquire.  The  understanding  posits  them. 

So  at  last  we  arrive  at  the  conclusion,  in  argument, 
that  to  think  is  consciousness  and  the  what  we  call  con- 
dition is  as  much  an  objective  of  thought,  as  the  thing 
Sir  William  Hamilton  would  have  it  accommodate. 
And  thus  we  get  a glimpse  of  the  mental  mode  of 
synthesis  and  may  understand  that  when  carried  to  its 


220 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


legitimate  end  it  is  of  the  same  force  as  that  other 
mental  mode  known  as  analysis,  because  it  like  analysis 
shows  the  impossibility  of  the  ratinocination  of  the  lim- 
ited by  cogently  forcing  upon  the  mind  a breaking 
through  analytical  lines,  the  mental  realization,  being 
the  same. 

How  then  may  we  know  the  absolute;  the  infinite;  the 
unlimited;  the  unconditional? 

I answer  by  the  same  mental  mode  we  know  at  all, 
that  is  to  think  about  and  of  the  being  necessitated  by 
all  other  thinking,  the  being  that  forever  persists  as  a 
theme  of  thought.  Name  the  being  what  we  may.  It  is 
being  and  what  we  think  of  it  does  not  limit  it.  This 
being  persists  and  no  thing  of  thought  does  more  nor 
have  we  any  more  psychic  posit  of  anything  of  which 
we  think  than  we  posit  of  this  being.  This  persistent  if 
we  may  use  the  term  is  the  construing  or  making  pos- 
sible thought  or  something  known  in  Consciousness. 

The  familiar  and  classified  and  used  impress  upon  us 
through  familiarity  more  of  eventful  persistence  but  not 
more  continuous  persistence  and  by  eventful  persistence 
names  are  in  vogue  and  superficial  thinkers  and  nom- 
inalist deal  with  the  eventful,  hence  their  sophisms. 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


221 


These  simple  impassible  thoughts  occur,  I think,  back 
of  this  no  thinker  can  go  but  does  go  to  this  extent. 
Even  the  Infinite  cannot  be  supposed  to  go  back  of  his 
thought  of  self,  that  would  necessitate  going  back  of  the 
thinker,  a thing  absurd.  To  think  is  consciousness,  if 
consciousness  is  to  express  ultimate  psychic  operation, 
otherwise  ultimate  is  not  ultimate.  A thing  absurd.  The 
mind  possesses  the  power  to  think;  the  objective  affords 
and  excites  mental  operation  or  act  to  the  end  that  con- 
cept is  formed,  this  is  real  and  all  of  it  real  and  know- 
able.  Otherwise  all  thought  is  idealism.  The  real  under 
this  view  becomes  false  as  a realty,  so  the  idealism  based 
thereon  is  false  as  a reality  of  any  objective  and  cannot 
be  a psychic  posit  concerning  .^anything.  Thus  the  argu- 
ment ends  in  ruin.  But  it  is  absurd. 

I think,  but  how  can  never  be  expressed  as  we  are 
speaking  of  knowing  now,  for  that  would  necessitate  the 
know  how  back  of  to  think,  absurd  to  mention.  A man 
knows  himself. 

I am  contending  for  the  doctrine  that  to  think  is 
ultimate,  ultimate  to  materialism.  Ultimate  to  the  rel- 
ative doctrine  of  to  think  condition  necessary  to  thought 
itself.  Ultimate  to  the  thought  of  death  for  thought  is 


222 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


ultimate  to  psychic  cessation  as  a thinkable.  And  end 
of  anything  as  ceasing  to  be  cannot  he  thought  of ; 
nothingness  as  a positive  mental  datum  cannot  be  sup- 
posed. I am  contending  for  the  doctrine  of  the  abso- 
lute as  announced  by  Cousin,  finished  to  the  end  that 
to  think  of  the  me  finite  and  the  not  me  as  infinite 
whether  the  idea  of  limitation  occurs  in  the  thought  or 
not  are  alike  consciousness. 

This  doctrine  of  the  absolute  is  of  interest  to  the  hu- 
man understanding  for  it  is  unsupposable  to 
think  of  death  without  thinking  of  life  and  life 
gives  the  ability  to  think  what  we  think  of  death  and  is 
therefor  ultimate  to  death.  Life,  vvhat  I mean  by  it  is 
capability  of  thinking  and  is  the  law  of  the  Universe. 
The  unlimited  consciousness  of  the  Infinite  is  no  more 
a speculation  than  is  the  so  called  law  of  nature  for  in 
the  different  phases  that  can  be  thought  they  are  the 
very  same; 

Thought  therefore  is  of  the  absolute.  I challenge  any 
possible  denial  of  this  position. 

Nor  is  this  Pantheism.  The  individual  who  gives  the 
absolute  a name  and  psychic  habitation  cannot  be 
thought  to  lapse  from  being  into  no  being  but  thinks  of 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


223 


being  as  is  and  this  does  not  necessitate  difference,  but 
the  is,  necessitates  the  idea  of  difference. 

Into  the  great  universe  we  are,  of  it,  part  of  its  in- 
stincts, instinct  with  consciousness  of  it  because  con- 
scious of  self  in  the  mode  we  call  to  think. 

I conceive  it  to  be  impossible  to  put  in  a system  of 
psychology  the  doctrine  of  man  possessing  consciousness 
as  an  ultimate  of  all  psychic  operation  and  not  at  the 
same  instance  of  necessity  know  that  if  consciousness  is 
ultimate  (if  the  term  ultimate  have  meaning)  is  abso- 
lute. 

The  dying  man  in  death  thinking  of  life  is  a peculiar 
phase  of  scepticism  of  life  as  an  ultimate  of  thought, 
to  me. 

To  the  extent  I think  of  a thing  I am  conscious  of  a 
thing  however  I am  affected  by  it.  This  may  be  what 
shall  be  classed  as  bad,  as  incoherent,  but  it  is  not  noth- 
ingness, it  cannot  be  said  to  be  unreal.  The  unlimited 
goes  away  from  us ; we  think  out  in  if;  what  is  therein 
contained  we  identify  when  in  apprehension  the  objec- 
tive is  seized  by  consciousness  is  ultimate  ; what  is  con- 
tained therein  we  do  not  say,  for  a discovery  may  prove 


22  4 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


that  our  affirmation  was  conjectural  and  false  if  we 
think  limitation.  In  fact  let  us  at  least  suggest  that  to 
think  of  the  limited,  ultimately  reaches  the  same  end 
as  we  reach  here  toward  the  unlimited  so  that  we  fall 
back  in  consciousness,  sentient,  and  this  is  the  abso- 
lute. The  relative  and  phenomenal  are  of  appearance 
and  eventful. 

I will  build  my  all  and  my  philosophy  in  the  new  in- 
duction, psychically  enlarging  in  time  and  correlated 
with  it  in  mental  datum.  I will  hold  in  consciousness 
the  awakened  soul  of  the  echo  that  touches  the  tomb 
with  the  mystery  of  life ; I will  wait  on  the  wave  of  the 
silent,  that  whispers  the  sense  sent  on  its  wings  to  the 
receptive  soul  for  realization ; I will  wait  on  the  quality 
of  tones  started  by  life,  kept  through  time,  for  is  space 
is  conquered  by  the  instinct  of  the  life  and  time  in  its 
changes  is  overcome  by  the  melody  of  energy  alive  with 
sentiment  I know  that  life,  the  sentient  energy  known 
as  person  is  absolute.  That  the  voices  of  these  living  per- 
sons belong  to  the  world  of  melody  and  that  at  all  times 
the  universe  is  a receptive  where  life  abides  and  life  is 
the  ultimate  of  all  we  desire. 

The  absolute  is,  to  think  is  to  realize  it. 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


225 


Not  a smile  can  perish,  not  a tone  go  out  of  the  world 
of  sound;  not  a joy  shall  depart  from  the  house  of  bliss, 
but  every  where  is  the  absolute  and  time  is  what  we  call 
a part  of  it. 

Think  for  once,  think  of  all  that  man  has  done  and 
made,  homes,  cities,  nations,  civilization;  the  songs  he 
sings;  the  tone  of  his  thought;  his  emotions;  all,  all, 
to  cease  at  once.  This  of  all  time,  think  of  it?  Then 
you  will  have  no  idea  of  Universe,  no  knowledge  of 
Universe?  Why,  yes,  you  have,  these  are  only  aids. 
Your  idea  of  the  Universe  includes  all  these.  Behold 
how  large  you  are  in  your  thoughts.  This  is  the  indue.-* 
tion  into  the  absolute  and  the  psychic  posit  of  it. 


15  J 


226 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


CHAPTER  2. 

M.  Cousin > and  Hamilton  and  Hubert  Spencer . 

M.  Cousin;  the  light  of  the  old  France;  the  Protag- 
onist of  the  philosophic  world;  the  first  Absolutist,  be- 
cause the  propounder  of  the  eclectic,  is  now  ready  for 
honor  and  times  tardy  fame. 

M.  Cousin  was  unfortunate  in  that  he  expressed  him- 
self in  a declentional  language.  However  his  vision 
was  true.  The  position  of  him  and  his  doctrine  are  at 
variance.  And  to  his  place  in  the  world  of  thought, 
I now  turn  my  attention. 

Cousin  by  his  very  expression  of  his  doctrine,  gave 
Hamilton  the  doctrine  of  the  Conditional.  In  the  state- 
ment of  the  eclectic. 

Cousin  says : “This  me  that  we  are  is  Finite,  the  not 
me  which  limits  it  is  Finite;  they  are  equally  so  in 
different  degrees ; we  are  still  in  the  sphere  of  the  finite. 
Is  there  nothing  else  in  consciousness? 

Yes,  at  the  same  time  that  consciousness  seizes  the 
me  in  opposition  to  the  not  me  finite  itself,  it  stops 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


227 


neither  at  the  one  nor  at  the  other.  It  starts  out 
thence  to  conceive  a being  that  has  all  the  characters 
Opposed  to  those  which  the  me  finds  in  itself  and  the 
not  me  which  is  analogous  to  it.”  And  he  concludes 
this  being  is  absolute  and  is  a cause.  Is  substance. 

Hamilton  simply  accepted  Cousin’s  terms  of  time  and 
degree  and  of  difference  and  opposition,  to  place  his  no- 
tion of  contradictories  to  construe  to  the  mind  reality. 
For  had  not  Cousin  placed  the  possibility  of  his  great 
conclusion  at  the  end  of  contrast?  Certainly. 

Cousin  left  the  Law  of  Identity  as  primary  and  made 
opposition  or  negation  the  soul  ground  of  his  inference 
by  observing  characters  opposed,  forgetting  that  the  first 
member  of  the  opposed  in  the  relation  must  be  seized 
in  consciousness  as  the  first  act  of  the  understanding. 
Thus  he  became  a Nominalist  himself,  aiding  and  abet- 
ting in  the  great  crime  of  intellectual  assassination 
which  effects  us  today  to  the  extent  of  giving  over  to 
Subsidiary  thought  a large  portion  of  the  Psychic  field. 

The  “This  me  that  we  are  is  Finite,”  says  Cousin. 
This  is  assumption  as  much  so  as  Hamilton’s.  “To 
think  is  to  condition”  is  assumption.  And  at  this  place 
Cousin  deserted  the  Absolute.  All  that  may  be  said  of 


228 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


the  fact  of  consciousness  has  its  subjection,  in  the  state- 
ment. To  seek  to  know  more  out  of  relation  perceived 
as  existing  between  opposed,  things  of  thought,  comes 
this  way  from  the  prime  psychic  act  and  moves  in  the 
sphere  of  the  conditional.  This  of  course,  is  on  ground 
so  well  defined  by  Hamilton  as  to  conclude  inquiry  once 
the  assumption  is  accepted. 

This  whole  controversy  that  ended  in  our  present  de- 
finition of  consciousness  as  per  Hamilton,  because  he 
refined  it  most  thoroughly,  is  of  the  subsidiary,  but 
that  Cousin  furnished  the  terms  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
conditional  may  not  now  be  doubted. 

The  reason  to  me  is  apparent,  Cousin  approached  the 
“Me  as  finite/5  or  as  I prefer  to  Posit  it,  “I  exist55  as  a 
mental  assumption  instead  of  act  and  suspected  that 
definition  was  necessary  to  all  thought.  So  he  became 
the  father  of  this  insistence. 

Herbert  Spencer  undertook  to  relieve  the  position 
and  far  led  the  way  but  like  Cousin  failed  to  fulfill  the 
last  requirement  of  intellectual  ability  and  subsided  into 
the  subsidiary.  Ending  in  nominalism  of  the  sort  we 
known  well. 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


229 


This  quiting  of  the  Residuum  for  the  subsidiary  of 
thought  or  the  first  act  of  the  understanding  by  think- 
ers, has  been  and  will  be  fatal  to  true  philosophy.  The 
very  fact  that  Definition  is  undertaken  yields  the 
ground  to  Hamilton. 

What  Cousin  should  have  done  I now  do  for  him, 
that  is  answer  Hamilton  on  his  own  ground  and  at  once 
answer  the  requirement  of  Psychic  ability  as  to  the  ut- 
most thought  posit. 

The  Residuum  of  thought  in  its  prime  aspect  is  my 
consideration.  Let  us  not  be  mistaken  in  this.  The 
subsidiary  is  fully  exemplified  by  Hamilton  and  Spen- 
cer. The  exclusion  I here  undertake  is  the  subsidiary 
from  the  consideration  of  the  Residuum  of  the  think- 
ing power  of  the  human  understanding. 

It  may  not  now  be  questioned  that  the  doctrine  of  the 
conditional  is  subsidiary.  Spencer  so  admits,  in  fact  it 
is  its  prime  assumption. 

If  mental  operation  is  nothing  else  than  contrast. 
This  requires  two  objects  of  thought;  if  they  can  not 
be  seized  in  consciousness  then  there  is  no  warrant  of 
psychic  kind  to  assume  to  know  the  phenomenal  or  ap- 


230 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


parent.  For  the  apparent  depends  in  its  reality  in 
psychic  datum  on  the  first  act  of  the  understanding,  iden- 
tity, to  think.  If  no  certainty  exists,  what  is  the  use  of 
Hamilton's  doctrine?  Unless  we  say  we  know  nothing, 
not  and  until  two  appears,  This  is  assumption. 

Nothingness  as  a term  can  signify  no  more  than  pri- 
vation, that  certain  characters  observed  in  one  thing  of 
thought  do  not  belong  to  another  thing  of  thought  but 
this  operation  is  not  in  the  mind  until  a third  thing  of 
thought  with  likeness  to  one  or  the  other  of  the  identi- 
fied things  is  excluded  by  the  law  of  excluded  middle. 
This  is  mental  process  and  is  not  primary.  Is  sub- 
sidiary. 

Nothingness  as  absolute  exclusion  is  not  in  psychic 
datum.  To  think  is  to  think  of  something  and  this  is 
primary. 

If  as  Hamilton  contends,  contradictories  construe  the  s 
reality  of  phenomena  to  the  mind  and  only  in  this  man- 
ner can  the  understanding  be  seized  or  be  conscious  of 
reality,  his  doctrine  is  an  expose  of  a sophism.  It  fol- 
lows that  opposition  is  the  first  concept.  Simple  dif- 
ference is  the  first  posit  of  thought.  Now  difference  is 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


231 


something  to  be  thought.  Wherein  is  the  difficulty  re- 
moved  ? 

But  let  us  consider  farther,  the  members  of  the  con- 
tradictories must  be  in  the  mind  if  the  understanding 
affirms  its  operation. 

It  can  not  be  conceived  to  be  more  difficult  to  con- 
ceive the  members  individually  than  to  conceive  their 
difference.  It  is  a first  posit  of  thought  we  seek. 

Again  if  this  be  not  so  the  first  concept  of  difference 
must  be  assumed.  For  it  stands  without  differentation. 
Otherwise  it  is  inate  power,  in  the  express  of  energy.  If 
this  last  is  true.  Then  the  conditional  is  false  and 
identity  is  primary. 

Difference  is  the  basis.  Exclusion  can  be  thought  only 
to  be  in  privation,  unless  the  mind  can  positively  think 
of  nothing.  This  then  demands  identified  objects  (treat- 
ing appearances  as  objects)  of  thought. 

If  the  single  members  in  the  contradictories  are  im- 
possible of  being  known,  the  difference  is,  or  knowledge 
is  impossible  of  any  kind.  If  the  members  are  con- 
ceived because  of  the  difference  what  power  of  mind 


232 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


makes  this  assumption.  That  it  is  the  difference  and 
not  the  thing  that  possesses  the  quality,  we  know? 

Let  us  analyze  some  more,  difference  is  conceived  of 
what?  Of  appearance?  says  Hamilton.  But  this  is  sup- 
posed to  reside  in  things  opposed.  The  real  things  can 
not  be  themselves  known.  This  is  Hamilton  as  he  is 
stripped  of  his  robe  of  woven  words. 

The  difference  spoken  of  is  only  of  appearance  it  fol- 
lows that  the  difference  is  only  appearance.  What  is  ap- 
pearance? Whatever  it  is  Hamilton  concedes  we  are 
conscious  of  it.  Attenuate  appearance  it  still  is  some- 
thing. This  is  affirmation  and  without  condition. 

Now  let  us  start  out  with  this  position.  The  mem- 
bers of  the  contradictories  in  the  first  act  of  mind  are 
not  construed  and  if  the  members  of  the  supposed  op- 
position can,  not  be  seized  in  consciousness  at  one  and 
the  same  effort,  contradictories  are  not  in  mental  datum. 
Prom  the  first  posit  of  thought  there  can  be  no  beyond 
of  it,  no  opposition,  for  privation  is  not  conceivable. 
But  thought  is.  This  is  the  farthermost  reach  of 
psychic  energy  and  is  positive. 

At  last  it  becomes  necessary  to  give  up  the  conditional. 
And  with  it  the  doctrine  of  contradiction  by  Hamilton. 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


233 


This  is  on  his  own  ground. 

Difference  is  more  than  a concept  it  is  the  understand- 
ing seizing  the  certainty  of  a thing.  The  mind  rests 
upon  i^  the  physic  emotive  wave  of  sentient  force  per- 
sist against  it  and  this  is  what  we  mean  by  conscious- 
ness. And  the  most  elaborate  and  conclusive  term  we 
have  can  not  express  it.  Yet  we  are  certain  of  it  for  it  is 
life.  To  say  it  is  relative  assumes  going  back  of  self 
and  its  modes  of  being  to  find  a deeper  reality.  Reality 
is  reality.  We  are  real  and  can  have  no  other  notion  of 
ourselves. 

The  Residuum  of  self  is  absolute  and  is  Infinite  so 
far  as  we  are  able  to  affirm;  we  are  unable  to  think 
otherwise.  The  infinite  is  indefinable;  so  are  we.  Yet 
we  know  we  are. 

We  have  no  warrant  to  say  that  we  are  finite  but  only 
that  we  appear  so,  under  the  doctrine  of  the  conditional 
and  science  is  without  authority.  And  right  here  I 
posit  for  Cousin  that;  I exist.  This  is  a reality.  Thought 
can  only  be  thought.  Thought  is  absolute.  Existence 
is  absolute.  The  absolute  is  infinite;  appearances  do 
not  limit;  they  only  appear  so.  Personality  does  not 


234 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


interfere  with  this  notion.  As  it  is,  it  is  infinite.  All 
reasoning  to  the  contrary  is  futile. 

Hamilton’s  doctrine  is  of  the  appearance  and  is  this 
way  from  the  residuum  he  could  not  put  in  terms.  The 
great  mental  datum  of  Spencer  as  the  warrant  for  all 
our  other  knowledge  IS  knowledge  itself.  And  the  mind 
is  possessed  of  this  knowledge.  All  knowledge  is  of  this 
kind  and  is  absolute.  It  is  only  arrangement  of  reflexes 
of  thought  this  side  of  the  first  mental,  posit,  that  af- 
fords the  conditional. 

For  if  the  mind  possesses  such  consciousness  as  Spen- 
cer claims,  and  it  is  true,  it  can  not  be  contradicted  and 
displaced  by  a lesser  and  an  inferior  kind  of  knowledge. 
That  supposes  the  inferior  kind  to  be  superior  and  is 
not  mental  in  its  nature. 

That  to  think  is,  to  be.  This  is,  there  is  no  beyond 
to  think  of.  For  privation  can  not  be  supposed.  We 
do  think  of  being.  This  is  inate. 

The  Universe  is  all  of  thought.  Positive  exclusion  is 
not  within  it. 

Therefore  The  Me  that  we  are  is  and  the  idea  of 
Finiteness  is  as  much  a definition  as  to  say  the  me  is 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


235 


absolute  and  no  more.  When  we  conceive  or  emotively 
energize,  we  need  a term  to  express  the  last  or  first  ex- 
perience as  sentience  and  this  is  consciousness. 

I think.  This  is  ultimate  to  every  thing  else. 

At  the  end ; if  the  first  appearance  to  the  mind  is  by 
contradictories  why  not  call  this  the  minds  true  way  of 
knowing  positively  the  reality  of  the  members?  And  is 
it  not  a mere  nominalism  with  inferential  definition  to 
say  that  it  is  of  the  phenomena  we  are  seized  ? 

Why  not  say  that  we  are  seized  of  the  realty  of  the 
opposed  things  and  that  the  mental  power  of  identity 
holds  the  persist  of  it  and  it  opposed  ? That  the  differ- 
ence is  inferential?  It  is  so. 

This  is  the  doctrine  of  the  Absolute. 

In  the  consciousness  of  existence  I posit.  “I  Exist.” 
This  is  nominal  definition  I know  but  this  is  all  that  can 
be  said. 

To  stand  upon  this  side  of  the  controversy  is  to  be  an 
absolutist,  to  stand  on  the  side  of  the  appearance  of  a 
thing  as  only  a phantom  of  the  real  as  the  only  know- 
able  is  to  be  a relativist. 


236 


CONSCIOUSNESS, 


The  changes  that  take  place  make  what  I have  called 
the  eventful  in  contradistinction  to  the  perpetual.  I 
admit  that  this  is  the  field  of  my  greatest  mental  strug- 
gle it  is  my  greatest  living.  I can  not  think  nothing, 
but  I do  think  and  thought  is  of  Universe.  I realize  it  in 
my  living  energy.  I Exist  and  this  is  the  ultimate  of  all. 
If  one  can  think  beyond  this  to  contradict  it  He  can 
think  beyond  the  Universe  and  that  is  not  in  psychic 
order. 

I am  an  absolutist  because  I am. 

Now  I can  not  think  that  I can  not  be  this  am,  this 
does  not  make  me  know  that  I am  but  that  I know  that 
I am  forbids  the  supposition  of  the  contrary,  this  is 
deduction.  The  first  posit  Is,  I am. 

Get  on  this  side  of  the  philosophical  question  and 
think  on  forward  not  backward  and  you  are  an  absolutist. 

And  I have  seen  no  rematerialized  spirits  either  dur- 
ing this  mental  labor. 

But  the  reality  of  all  the  universe  is  about  me  and  it 
does  not  seem  strange. 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


2l\7 


CONCLUSION. 

To  attempt  to  bring  the  first  posit  of  thought  within 
the  sphere  of  thought  related  and  define  the  relation 
in  terms  to  comprehend  the  prime  thought,  is  to  condi- 
tion. This  is  precisely  what  Hamilton  did  do. 

The  operation  is  in  concepts,  subsidiary  to  the  Re- 
siduum. This  effort  to  bring  the  first  posit  in  the  en- 
ergy of  a second,  is  reflex  thought  and  leaves  the  pri- 
mary out  of  consideration. 

lit  is  not  cause  and  effect.  There  is  no  such  thing  in 
pure  mental  nature.  The  mind  acts  so,  that  is  all  that 
can  be  said  of  it. 

So  definition  of  a thing  by  the  position  it  sustains  to 
others  is  aloof  from  the  prime  thing  itself. 

Now  definition  is  simply  the  noting  or  denoting  of 
just  these  concepts  and  no  more,  as  standing  in  time 
and  space,  a posit  of  the  thinking  self.  The  concept  of 
opposition  is  because  the  said  posit  in  the  time  and  place 
is  posited;  identity  excludes  every  other  notion  but  is 
posited  first  to  exclude.  Relation,  the  idea  of  it,  is  of 
this  subsistency  of  subsidiary  thought. 


238 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


Yet  identity  of  the  material  human  yields.  Within  it 
there  are  many  identities  (Anamaliculea)  Kadium  re- 
veals  something  to  preceptive  energy,  that  space  is  in- 
vaded, yet  seen  in  the  attenuation  of  material  to  vision. 
That  matter  is  phenominal,  appearance,  and  really  ad- 
vances what  appearance  is. 

This,  all  this  does  not  define  or  approach  the  reality 
of  the  Besiduum  of  self. 

The  infinitely  small  can  not  persist  in  mental  datum 
beyond  the  conceiving  energy  of  privation,  to  know. 
Noting  beyond  this  is  not  in  mental  nature. 

So  it  is  the  Besiduum  that  is  posited  in  time,  space, 
difference,  relation,  and  opposition,  the  denotes,  ideas 
of  time,  of  space,  of  difference,  of  relation,  of  opposi- 
tion stated  make  definition.  This  is  conceptionalism  and 
subsidiary.  The  residuum  is  farther  on,  is  positive,  is 
really  the  known.  It  is  the  really  knowable  and  only  is. 
The  relative  or  conditional  is  known  by  the  mental  power 
that  knows  the  absolute  and  is  inferential  but  because  of 
the  really  knowable,  the  absolute,  it  is  known. 

This  of  course  will  not  be  to  the  liking  of  the  thinkers 
who  prefer  to  assume  the  material  as  the  summit  of  the 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


239 


range  of  thought  and  delight  in  concepts  and  terms  to 
grow  wise  in  terminology. 

However  we  are  glad  to  get  back  to  where  nature  as- 
serts the  persists  of  thought  Foi  we  do  develop  force- 
ful energy  of  self  and  think. 

This  is  the  philosophy  ihe  world  needs.  There  is  no 
strength  in  straining  after  evasion  of  self  knowledge. 
It  is  a wrong  notion  that  the  race  is  advanced  in  psychic 
energy  by  scepticism.  It  is  the  positive  effort  that  de- 
velops the  power  to  realize  the  posit  of  self. 

The  repetition  that  seems  to  be  in  this  exposition  is 
of  the  theme  and  is  not  repetition  but  repeated  effort  to 
farther  realize  self.  In  this  exercise  I have  grown  and 
feel  my  emotive  power  increased.  I at  once  feel  doubt 
weakened. 

I am  wholly  orthodox,  I love  the  smile  of  a babe,  the 
real  smile.  I recognize  love  not  as  vapor  nor  again  as 
a manifestation.  What  you  may  call  manifestation  I 
call  it.  And  every  day  it  persists  in  me,  I in  it.  This 
is  my  experience.  It  is  yours  but  maybe  you  permit 
sound  which  is  no  more  real  to  confuse  you. 


240 


CONSCIOUSNESS. 


I know  that  this  argument  will  never  be  confuted, 
that  is  impossible.  But  have  I placed  the  way  to  real- 
ization so  others  can  seize  the  self  in  mind  to  the  full? 
This  is  my  concern. 

If  it  be  complained  that  my  treatise  is  loosely  written 
and  lacks  the  marks  of  scientific  language.  My  answer 
is,  I hold  myself  bound  to  no  nominalism,  whether  it  be 
considered  scientific  or  no. 

I utterly  abhor  restraint  and  know  that  a healthy 
brain  can  stand  (bear)  the  stress  of  psychic  liberty. 

Prescribed  rules  prescribe  the  possible  thinking  to 
him  who  adheres  to  them. 

Invention  and  discovery  set  out  from  prescription 
into  the  open  Ultima  Thule  of  thought.  Mental  spon- 
taneity is  without  law.  And  free  psychic  energy  is 
genius. 

This  is  my  full  answer  for  these  words  that  are  in- 
tended to  cumulate  and  make  an  effect,  viz. : dispel  all 
doubt.  That  self  assurance  becomes  the  experience. 


I KNOW  NOT  BUT  OF  MYSELF 


(“For  what  man  knoweth  the  things  of  a man  save 
the  spirit  of  man  which  is  in  him.” — St.  Paul.) 

0 God,  how  good  thou  art  to  me! 

These  pretty  eyes 

1 have  Thy  glories  all  to  see, 

And  lips  to  murmur — Heavenly ! 

Are  just  a little  of  Thy  lease — 

Of  joy.  I trace 

All  beauty,  and  Thy  love  and  peace, 

Upon  my  face. 

Within  the  holy  human  race, 

I am  the  best. 

Man  loves  and  kisses  this  pure  face; 

And  calles  his  bliss  an  heavenly  grace. 

I build  a throne  for  joy.  And  all — 

That  may  man  bless, 

In  passion’s  sweet  confessional — 

My  heart — confess. 

0 God,  how  good  thou  art  to  me ! 

EternPy-  - 

Alone  may  fill  my  soul  with  Thee. 


242 


I KNOW  NOT  BUT  OF  MYSELF 


I am  the  form  of  mystery. 

And  I am  free — 

A Woman;  glory  in  her  eyes. 

To  lure  and  keep, 

The  World  of  love,  whose  sacrifice, 
Her  babes  repeat. 


AN  AFTER  WORD 


I have  seen  this  plain  Country  develop;  I came  west 
at  the  age  of  twelve  years — to  Nebraska  and  on  a cat- 
tle ranch;  the  Cities  have  grown  under  my  observation 
and  States  have  been  hewed  from  the  frontier — I have 
helped  to  hew. 

I have  not  slept  all  this  time.  I have  been  a close 
friend  to  progress.  I have  watched  the  great  romance 
of  society  unfold  from  the  inborn  plot  until  I.  am  be- 
come a part  of  it. 

As  a boy  sitting  on  my  horse  on  night  herd,  listening 
to  evening’s  Eolian  harps  strung  in  the'  blue-stem  grass 
I heard  songs  from  God.  And  Love  had  songs  re- 
peated them. 

When  families  came  from  the  east — boys  and  girls — 
I turned  to  meet  them;  lonely  had  been  the  west  to 
the  orphan  till  that  time  when  they  came,  but  I am 
glad  of  it — for  now  I know;  alone  on  the  naked  bosom 
of  nature  I learned  to  know. 

I am  going  to  leave  you  for  a little  now  but  I will 
come  again — with  that  Nature  involved  as  Nature  be- 
came the  vestitura,  tinseled,  of  man. 


